Bunny Boo

I think I once saw a movie where a woman asked her mom if she remembered the first time she got her stuffed animal. If I didn’t see it in a movie, my mind is doing great at setting the stage for this letter.

Dada and I put you to bed like we always do, but this time, you asked for Bunny Boo, or as you call it these days, Bobo.

You only started noticing him this week. We had him lying around the first time, and I suggested we offer him water.

“Should we give Bunny Boo some water?”

You nodded yes, so I did.

Your expression was that of someone who has never seen something move, and then they do. In that moment, Bunny Boo became alive for you. I then proceeded to give him water multiple times because you’re at that age of “do it again, and again, and again.”

I am all here for it.

In the days that followed, we carried on with our summer break routine, but this time, you’d notice Bobo somewhere and urge me to pick him up. We read to him, fed him dinner, and even cleaned his long, furry ears.

On Saturday, while I ran some errands, your dad put you down for a nap and decided Bunny Boo could join you—perhaps you called for him, so Tim thought you wanted him in the crib. You fell asleep next to him, but every time after that, he was just there, and you pretty much ignored him.

Tonight, everything changed. Or at least that’s what plays in my mental movie.

I zipped your sleep sack, kissed your tiny hands, and rubbed your hair while telling you the words I now recite every night. You abruptly interrupted me with a shocking look, as if you had forgotten to pull the laundry out of the dryer (oops, that was me!)

“Bobo!”

I smiled and laid him down in the crib while holding you. I said, “Good night, Bunny Boo. Que descanses!“

We then sat on the chair, you drank your tete, and I put you in the crib as you sucked your thumb. There, you found Bobo, and your arms embraced him.

As I always do, I swiftly exited your room, shut the door, and went to turn the baby monitor on just in time to find you rubbing Bunny Boo’s ears and staring right into his eyes.

You stayed there for a few minutes, rolled around several times, and never let go of him until you fell asleep.

I don’t know if you’ll grow to love this bunny or if it will become just one of those toys that go in and out of toy rotation (ugh, Toy Story emotional flashbacks are hitting hard.) What I do know is that I want to tell you about this moment when you’re older. I want you to know you made a new friend, and he kept you company all night long.