A Girl and Her Bunny

Since about 4 months of age, Audrey has shown preference to this little bunny who we affectionately call "Lovey Bunny" around here.

She sleeps with Lovey Bunny, and gets very concerned when we throw him (or her?) into the wash.  She carries Bunny around by holding his ear in her mouth like a little puppy as she crawls around.  She loves this guy!

There's one not-so-great thing about old long ears.  I cannot find this dang bunny ANYWHERE!  I got it as a gift for one of my showers and wish I would have purchased 20 of them but by the time Audrey claimed it as her official "lovey" they were not longer sold in stores.  I've scoured ebay and Amazon to find the cheapest one would cost me $39.99 (who sells a bunny for 40 bucks..honestly..).  As much as I love Audrey, I can't rationalize spending $40 on a bunny.

So far we've been extra careful to leave Lovey Bunny at home and Audrey has a car companion, Lovey Bear (we are so creative with our stuffed animal names around here).  We haven't lost him yet, but I fear the day we do.  Also, Audrey sucks on Bunny's ears and Bunny STINKS.  I have to wash him on a weekly basis, sometimes more.  I just don't know how much longer Bunny will hold up to all of this.

The need for an imposter presents itself.  Today at the store this little guy caught her eye

and she said her word for Lovey Bunny and reached for it.  I immediately bought the thing.  It's a pretty good imposter!  It's like the evolved version of Lovey Bunny.  Like a tadpole that's sprouted it's baby frog legs.  Audrey cuddled and snuggled it the whole way home, and requested I give the new member of our family lots of kisses.  I was hopeful for nap time, thinking we could possibly integrate the new bunny into the routine but Audrey needed her old pal Lovey Bunny.  Luckily I had just washed it in an oxyclean/baking soda/extremely hot water solution so Lovey was clean and ready to go.

I'm not giving up home on our new friend, though.  If she ends up liking this bunny just as much as Lovey, you bet your bottom I'm going out to buy 10 of them.  It's still funny to me how attached Audrey is to her little stuffed friend.  I think it's super cute.  Wish us luck with Lovey Bunny 2.0!