BoyCat

I could spend a lot of time playing catch up. But honestly, I don't really remember what happened yesterday. So I'm just gonna start with a story.  And a few pictures.

When my mom comes to visit, she brings a lot of stuff.  Not stuff like luggage and personal belongings, but stuff like clothes for my kids or old place mats I might be able to use or a sequin purse she found when she was cleaning out her closet or a book she thinks I might like.  Just. stuff.  Earl calls it "the crap your mom brings"...

Once, not too long ago, she came and brought two small stuffed cats.  One was pink, the other blue.  When you put their noses close together, through the magic of magnets, they seemed to kiss.  Very fabulous.  Grace quickly claimed them as her own.  I don't blame her.  See...here they are.  Darling, huh?

Until Simon (our old border collie dog) chewed the nose off the pink bear.  "Pick your toys up or the dog is gonna chew them up!!!!"  And so the pink bear was discarded and the blue bear was tucked away, all alone, in a toy bin.  Until Sam found him.  "GanTone bring this a-me!!" he exclaimed.  And quickly fell in love with, and named the lone cat.  So began Sam's undying love and devotion for "BoyCat"

Now I've never had a child attatch to an object.  Sure Grace had her chou-chou (our family name for a pacifier) but this "BoyCat" is different.  BoyCat has a personality.  He has likes and dislikes (he does not like green vegetables, but loves anything sweet).  He gets scared (he is especially terrified of alligators in his room after the lights go out).

BoyCat needs a bath at least once a week because he really loves to play outside and he gets quite dirty.  And he always, always, snuggles in bed each night with Sam for a song and a story.  

Have you ever read the story of The Velveteen Rabbit?  The tale of a stuffed rabbit, who after much love and devotion, one day comes to life?  Becomes a real rabbit?  I know it's just a story, but sometimes I look at my blond headed little boy and his stuffed friend, and I wonder...hmmmm...what if?  

And so, it is for this reason when we took our annual family photographs this year, I asked our photographer to capture a few of Sam and his beloved BoyCat.  These are two of my very favorite pictures ever taken.  Oh they just melt my heart. 

You can almost see a twinkle in BoyCat's eye.  He has a very important job to do...watching over this sweet boychild of mine.