We mark the progress of our lives by marking milestones - birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Less often, we remember and celebrate the moments that make up those milestones.

This is for those moments.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Cuddles - six years and counting

Katie was given this bear on 19 February 2006, when she was two-days old. He's not really a bear, more like a 12" square blanket with a bear's head and arms sewn on the centre. Whatever you want to call him, he is the most precious thing in the world to her.

He has been there at every milestone and major event in her life, except her actual birth. He has spent nights in hospital with her when she had pneumonia, respiratory infections and asthma, clutched tightly through every test and procedure - except the x-rays. They nearly didn't happen until the radiologist agreed to let Cuddles sit on the bed with Katie. He has sat through x-rays for a broken collarbone, a broken ankle and chest x-rays. He's a tough old bear.

He was there through the day care years, the first day of Kindergarten and PrePrimary and, this February, the first day of Year One.

Now Katie is six and shows no sign of letting him go yet. When she is ill, tired or just unsure you can see her gently rubbing the silky binding between her fingers, reassuring herself. Sometimes I wish I had a Cuddles of my own.

He is worn, a little threadbare, his silky binding is frayed and his bow has been replaced several times. I have a reel of thread in his original apricot colour that is tucked away especially for patching the dear old fella up.

Today it was his ear that needed Mummy's best nursing care. A job done with love and joy, the reward Katie's beaming smile and watching her snuggle her 'best friend in the whole wide world'.

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