Bear Bond...

Christopherisms

Jun 1

Written By

Teddy was a baby shower present. By the time I got around to letting Christopher have Teddy, Christopher was in his big boy bed and I had long forgotten who gifted us with Teddy.

Teddy isn’t quite attached to Christopher’s hip as a security blanket but he is well traveled. He has a lot of road miles and sky miles. He has sat at the dinner table and he has waited in the bathroom. Teddy has delayed bedtime while we searched with a flashlight to find him. Somehow looking for him in the dark with a flashlight made him more visible than with the lights on.

Christopher has called for me in the middle of night because Brown Teddy wasn’t in bed. There's Orange Teddy, White Teddy, Blue Elephant, and Bank Bear (all named accordingly). I was always amazed that he could feel which one was missing. Once he was older I would yell back telling him to turn on the light and look on the floor.

I wish I could sew without butchering Teddy, for a re-stuffing and nose repair. On nights that Christopher was particularly whiny about going to bed he would cry about the one day when Teddy’s nose would completely fall off. I would ask him if he could part with Teddy for him to go into the hospital for surgery and he would always say no. One day he asked me how long the surgery would take.

Christopher has told me if we ever have a fire, he hopes Teddy would get out.

I would always wash Teddy while Christopher wasn’t around. One day when he was a witness to Teddy going in the washing machine he asked, “Is Teddy going to be alright in there?” (current age)

I love moments like this because every other day in every other way I see Christopher growing up too fast. I love that he isn’t ashamed of his affection for Teddy in front of family or friends. Just recently after a bedtime bible story Christopher said, “I love Teddy as much as I love God (pause) and you mom.” I wonder sadly how long we have left of this kind of shameless affection.