Mickey

Mickey has been a part of our family since the Boy was somewhere in his 3^rd year. Although Mickey had been one of many stuffed animals he had received in his early years, it took a while for the attachment to grow and ultimately he became the favorite . . . the one that is at the Boy's side all the time. When I was pregnant with Pickle Mickey became his “Brudder” and another one of the children.

His attachment to Mickey has been and continues to be so strong that JP and I are always careful to keep an eye out for the Mouse making sure he stays at home when we leave or doesn’t get manhandled by one (or both) of the girls. We have always been fearful something would happen to Mick and we would be left with a screaming toddler (or now a sulking 7 year old) at bedtime.

There was one instance several years ago where we got to the dinner table on a Sunday evening and the Boy suddenly remembered he had left Mickey at the library. I called and found out that yes, a Mickey Mouse had been found in the kids’ area but they were closing soon so I could pick it up the next day. HELLO? Are you MAD lady? I want to get some sleep tonight! I ran out of the house and drove well over the speed limit to get there before they locked me out and Mickey in . . . the result was positive but I can still remember that tangible fear.

At least 2 nights out of seven the three of us end of up searching for Mickey who has been left behind in a random place (wheelbarrow outside is the most memorable – always fun to see JP put the headlamp on for searching). There have been only a few nights that I can recall where he went to bed without Mickey and JP or I would find him and put him to bed with the sleeping boy, but never has he been missing for longer than a few hours.

Which brings us to a very rough Tuesday night a few weeks ago when Mouse could not be found and he went to bed with promises that Mommy & Daddy would find Mickey and bring him to bed. We did not find him. Nor was he found the next morning or all day and another frantic search began at bedtime Wednesday night. This time he was not so easily assuaged into bed. There were lots of moaning and many tears. At one point the Boy asked Josh if this was a practical joke . . . that was when JP’s heart really broke. I think Dad was taking it harder than the Boy.

Over the tense 36 hours we looked in every drawer and cabinet– multiple times – and under beds and beneath covers. I promise no stone was unturned or possibility not considered but the Mouse could not be found. JP even donned rubber gloves and dug through the trash, he tore open a tied up bag of diapers, and he looked in the alley dumpsters. We emptied every laundry basket, bin of stuffed animals, and Lego container but the Mouse was not to be found.

Finally on that Thursday morning I stood in the middle of the Boy’s room and looked around, casually picked up a small cardboard cube, shook it, and opened  it to find this

Pure joy on the Boy’s face when he came home from school that day!