Jacob's in love

When I was a little girl, I was obsessed with stuffed animals. I had a million of them (no exaggeration) and each one had a name and had to have a place in my bed at bedtime. (Sorry, Mom and Dad.) Of all my animals, my favorite was a purple mouse with snaggle teeth and a pink hat. To this day, seeing that mouse (Yes, my parents kept him for me all those years. Thanks, Mom and Dad!) makes me smile.

So, ever since J was born, I have been so excited for the day that he would begin to notice the stuffed animals lined up around the top railing of his crib. I couldn’t wait to see which one he picked out as his favorite—the teddy bear, the skunk (I hoped not), the penguin.

I thought that it would be months before I would know which one he had chosen, but not so. It turns out that Mr. Penguin is the lucky winner. The furry black and white guy, almost as large as Jacob, has won his heart, and it is the cutest thing. (Tom bought the toy for me on our first date to the aquarium.)

In the mornings, I now wake up to find Jacob and Mr. Penguin having a grand old time. Sometimes they just stare at each other. Other times, Jacob talks to him. (Mr. Penguin has yet to talk back. Apparently, he’s the strong silent type.) If he’s in a fussy mood, making Mr. Penguin dance will often do the trick. (It has yet to be seen if Jacob dancing gets Mr. Penguin out of a fussy mood.)

Yesterday, I was able to take an hour-long bath (!) thanks to Jacob’s sweet obsession. He laid by the tub in his little bed, staring and cooing at his new friend. It was like having a babysitter but much cheaper. Even now, as I sit in the Chick-Fil-A parking lot typing this out (our Internet still isn’t up at the new house), Mr. Penguin is a lifesaver. Jacob is petting his fur and cooing at him happily.

Unless I miss my guess, this is the start of a beautiful friendship, and I can’t wait to watch it blossom.