Bunnie Squeakles Boot Camp

After the tremendous effort that was spent looking high and low - all over the world - for a backup lovey for Elizabeth, we finally received our extra "Bunnie Squeakles".

I had actually ordered three (3) spare "Bunnie Squeakles" but I was notified that the on-line store where I ordered, only had one (1) "Bunnie Squeakles" in stock, and there was a chance "Bunnie Squeakles" was being discontinued because they were not going to be receiving any more shipments. Would I care to order a different "Squeakles Critter"?

No more Bunnie Squeakles??? Order a different Squeakles Critter??? Are you out of your MIND??? Apparently not everyone in the entire world reads our blog and understands the importance of this little stuffed animal. Thank you for the offer, but that would have to be a BIG FAT NO.

The package carrying the last remaining "Bunnie Squeakles" arrived in the mail this past week. I was so excited. I ripped open the box and handed the "new and improved" Bunnie Squeakles to Elizabeth. And guess what?!

She could care less.

I immediately realized that there is room for one bunny, and one bunny alone, in my child's heart. I don't know what I expected. Maybe that she would throw "bunny" to the floor and embrace this newer, squeakier, fluffier, more *refreshed* Bunnie Squeakles. Alas, she handed the new Bunnie Squeakles right back to me.

"No thanks, Mom. You can keep him."

But ... but ... ??? This was a concerted effort! People from around the country were looking for this "Bunnie" for you. Where are your manners, 19-month old child of mine?

Thinking it might help if the new Bunnie Squeakles was washed, I tossed him in with the laundry. As of tonight, he's been through one, two ... twenty-four wash cycles ... since he's arrived, and still Elizabeth shows no interest in him. No interest, at all whatsoever.

I really think it's important that Elizabeth accept the new Bunnie Squeakles in her life, for her sake and for mine. Heaven forbid something ever happen to "bunny" we would be in a terrible predicament. I'm not sure if "terrible predicament" is a strong enough phrase to capture the gravity of this situation. (Was Jen the only one to notice bunny in the sprinkler with our kids?! [Points to you, Jen!] Honestly - that bunny goes EVERYWHERE with Elizabeth.)

Our goal is that the new Bunnie Squeakles be completely interchangeable with "bunny". No one, especially Elizabeth, should be able to tell them apart.

With that in mind, I present my five-part strategy on "breaking in" the new Bunnie Squeakles:

1) Place him in the driveway and back our van over him 227 times.

2) Tie one end of a rope around one of his floppy ears, affix the other end to a stroller, and drag him behind us on our evening walks around the neighborhood.

3) Mix him in with all the ingredients and bake with whatever we happen to be preparing for dinner.

4) Give him to the dogs and let them bury him in the back yard. Dig up. Wash. Repeat process.

5) Wash him another 24 times and evaluate if he is FINALLY worthy.

Bunnie Squeakles bootcamp begins at 0700 hours, tomorrow. Stay tuned ...

(I'd love to add some pictures to accompany this blog posting - but for whatever reason, blogger is tanking on me. I am stuck in HTML mode [yet w/o any of the 'features' like adding a link, picture, changing font, etc] and I don't have the option of going back to 'compose'. If anyone has advice to fix this *problem*, I'd appreciate hearing it! **Edited to read: Thanks to Peter at
http://blogger-tricks.blogspot.com the *problem* has been fixed!!!)