Loveys

When A started her new school, they sent a list of what we had to bring each week. It was so endearing to me that they had this list of very practical things and at the top of that list was "Lovey" or "Comfort Object." I was so relieved to see that Bear would be welcome. (They do all sorts of great things to take care of the kiddos hearts and I just love them for it).
My nephew read from The Velveteen Rabbit at our wedding. We are a Lovey kind of family. I guess that's why this story on NPR appealled to me. I have not read the book yet, but it is definitely going on my list.

"Remember your favorite childhood companions? The stuffed animals you dragged through the mud, carried around by their ears, drooled on, dropped ... the ones now missing eyes or hair?

Although much abused and maligned, these companions — the blankets, teddy bears, stuffed bunnies and dolls — stuck by you day and night. Cheryl and Jeffrey Katz have created a tribute to these threadbare friends in their book, Dirty Wow Wow and Other Love Stories.

Below are two of Cheryl Katz's fuzzy favorites from the book.


A good rule of thumb when giving a gift is to choose something that you would want to receive. Even at three years old, Rebecca and her twin sister, Elyssa, had a sophisticated understanding of this principle. When their mother took them to the mall to choose a gift for their father's birthday, the girls chose Panda Brand.

Naturally, their father was thrilled with Rebecca and Elyssa's thoughtfulness, but admittedly uneasy with their request that he play with Panda and sleep with Panda. Every night. Not wanting to disappoint the girls or belittle their generosity, Dad honored their demands—until he developed a mysterious allergy to the bear. The girls, gracious as ever, offered to take care of Panda Brand for their father. And twenty years later, they still do.


Katie Kittenheart


When seven-year-old Alexandra spotted Katie Kittenheart in an upscale Pittsburgh toy store, she had to have her. Katie's startling blue eyes were hidden under an adorable puff of real white rabbit fur, so you could see them only by gently blowing on her. Though Alex didn't have a cat of her own, she possessed a modicum of understanding about feline grooming techniques, and she took to tidying up Miss Kittenheart with her own little human tongue baths. Small wonder that twenty-seven years later, Katie Kittenheart still looks alarmed."