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Kenny has had a little stuffed animal named “Baa” that he has slept with every night since he was barely 12 months old.   He once had fluffy white fur, but one day Dudley chewed off his left ear, and being very germ-o-phobic, I threw him in the wash, causing his fluff to become matted and grey somewhere in the spin cycle.   All the more lovable.

When he was 18 months old, I actually bought another one on ebay (fluffy fur intact), “just in case” we ever lost Baa.   Baa has been to Hawaii, Arizona, Florida, California and the Outer Banks (four times!).   He has been on every overnight trip we have ever taken.   He has flown on at least four major airlines and riden in the car on countless adventures.     When Cooper was born, I gave the fluffy Baa to him, and Kenny sniffed, “He can have it.   I like my Baa just the way he is.”

Tonight the inevitable happened: We lost Baa.

It was doomed to happen; one of our family rules is that Baa never goes on casual outings.   No trips to the grocery store, no playing at the park, no walks through the city.   In other words, Baa may come from bed to bed (via suitcase), but under no circumstances may he be put in a dangerous position.  

Tonight, our last night of vacation, we strapped the boys into the stroller to walk to cafe for dinner.   Kenny had Baa in his hands.   I briefly protested, but Kenny was so sweet in wanting to take him that I relented.   It wasn’t until we were tucking him into bed, three hours, and  a three mile walk  later,  that we realized he was gone.

(cue doom music)

Kenny’s giant chocolate colored eyes filled up.   “I … I … really want him back… ” he started to sob.   Casey jumped up.   “I’m on it.”   and he was out the door, back tracing our route in the car.   I laid in bed with Kenny we talked about Baa.   We talked about how happy we would be when Daddy found him.   And about how he might not find him, but that maybe someone else would and maybe they would send him to us.   But Kenny is a smart little guy.   “Mama!   They won’t know who he is or who he belongs to and how will they know our address?   What if we never find him.   I want him!”   Then he got quiet for a second.   “If only he had more fur he could have left a trap.”   I got quiet for a minute.   “You mean a trail?”   “Yeah, that’s what I’m saying.   He could have left a trail for us to find him.”

At this point , Casey came in the door and beckoned to me.   Kenny sat bolt upright.   “Dada??   Did you find Baa?”   Casey looked crushed.   “No, baby.   I didn’t see him.”   Kenny started to cry, but tried to be brave and hold it in.   I said,  “I  think I know where he fell out – when you and  Cooper were playing peek-a-boo…”   Casey headed out the door again, this time with a little better idea of what part of the route to look on.

Sure enough, ten minutes later, he returned Triumphant.   Baa had been picked up by another walker and placed on the post at the beginning of the neighborhood, waiting patiently for a ride back home.   Casey burst into Kenny’s room, only to find him sound asleep.   He tried to wake him up, but the kid sleeps like  a man in a coma, and had no luck.   So he tucked Baa into the crook of Kenny’s arm and tiptoed out.

Welcome home, little buddy.