The Puppy

I always wondered if my kids would ever have a stuffed animal that they are really attached to.  Logan didn't really have one.  For about 6-12 months when he was around 2, Logan was attached to a horse that he named Gallahad.  He doesn't seem to really care about it anymore.  Every now and then he will play with it.  It does sleep in his bed, but it doesn't have to be there for him to fall asleep.  Carter on the other hand has a puppy that he is attached to.  The puppy is actually a part lovey (small soft cuddle blanket) and part puppy stuffed animal.  He got it when he was about 5 weeks old from my friend Ellen.  I can't remember when the attachment started, but it's been going on for a while now!  For the past year, it's been a staple in our daily lives.  He has to have it.  He sleeps with it at night and can't sleep without it.  He cries if it isn't with him.  When he wakes up in the morning he takes it out of his crib and brings it with him throughout the day.  Sometimes puppy has to "watch" him do stuff because Mommy doesn't want puppy to get dirty.  Carter calls him "Whooo Whooo."  This is the barking sound he makes whenever he hears/sees a dog, however, it's what he says when he wants his puppy.  Despite how clean I try to keep this puppy, it isn't quite the lovely blue it used to be....I'll leave it at that.  Until recently, he never had a problem when puppy got a "bath."  The past 2 times that I have washed his puppy, he has been very upset!  He waits at the washer calling, "Whooo Whooo"  and hits it with his hands.  I have to find constant distractions, and even when he is distracted, a few minutes later he will remember and run back to the laundry room.  
He is at school today and brought his puppy and paci in the car.  When we got there this morning, I told him that his puppy and paci would be waiting for him when he got home from school.  I took out the paci and he put it back in.  I layed his puppy down and he picked it back up.  Then I got him out of the seat and them took both and placed them in his carseat.  He didn't really like that, but thankfully, no fit!  He hasn't been to school since the last day for teachers on June 7th, but it easing back in with just Tuesdays since it's a water day.  He cried.  Hopefully he will be all smiles at pick up time when he gets his puppy and paci back!

The tactic that was very helpful during the wash cycle was his cinnamon honey pecan cream cheese bagel!