bye, bye Yodi...

Right before Nathan turned two I bought him this cute stuffed puppy dog. It was love at first sight for Nathan and Yodi. The name that Yodi came with was Yodeler. I thought that was rather hard for a toddler to say so I nicknamed him Yodi. Nathan dragged Yodi everywhere and of course slept with him every night. He didn't let Yodi get to from him. One time after an overnight visit at Papa Davis' house, Yodi didn't make it back! Nathan realized Yodi was missing about 30 minutes away from Papa's house and cried crocodile tears the last 15 minutes left to our house. It took some time to calm him down but we assured him that Yodi would sleep with papa and we would get him back soon. When people would ask Nathan if he wanted a puppy he would always answer, "No, I have one...his name is Yodi."

Over the summer you may remember my post about going to sea world; well of course Yodi tagged along! Nathan wouldn't have had it any other way. While at Sea World Daniel and I decided to get something for Nathan and Kaylee. We got Kaylee these sweet pearl post earrings and we got nathan a pretty good sized plush shamu. Nathan loved it.

I started getting a little concerned about the fate of Yodi when we made it back to our car after our day at Sea World. Nathan got in his car seat, daddy handed him Shamu and I handed him Yodi. Nathan threw Yodi on the floorboard and said, "No, I want shamu" In that moment my heart literally sunk...i know silly, but it did. If I would have known that Yodi would be "replaced" I HONESTLY would not have bought shamu. LOL I wanted Yodi to be there at least till Nathan went to Middle School. On the way back to the hotel I brought my concern up to Daniel, Daniel laughed it off and said Shamu wouldn't last long. He said Nathan was only favoring shamu because he was new and that shamu would get old.

Slowly my fears have become reality, 4 months later Yodi is becoming a distant attachment for Nathan. I all too often find myself being the one looking for Yodi at bedtime and putting him in bed with Nathan and Shamu Obviously there is not room in Nathan's heart for two stuffed animals. I even was disappointed when Nathan choose to bring shamu for his show in tell at school! I found myself pushing Yodi on him.

Then one morning after making Nathan's bed I put a couple of Nathan's "favorite" animals on his bed. Nathan got very passionate about my selection and threw Yodi helplessly on the floor. I was so sadden by what I had just witnessed. I tried to convince Nathan of Yodi's rightful place on the bed with Shamu but Nathan was having nothing to do with it. I even presented my argument that Yodi would be cold and lonely on the floor. I picked up Yodi and put him back on the bed and covered him lightly with a blanket. Nathan shouted, "No, Yodi belongs on the floor" I hate to admit but this is all very sad to me and I am sure to Yodi as well!

I know there is probably some psychological connection between my persistent relationship reconciliation attempts with Nathan and Yodi and the idea of seeing a 'baby' toy become less important (I might as well say it right...not important at all)

So tonight I tried to get some "sweet" pictures of Nathan and his forgotten friend and allow myself to 'move on' by taking some pictures with Nathan and 'the other' stuffed animal. I went ahead and let Nathan take a picture with Shamu and then I said, why don't we get a picture with Yodi. Nathan didn't want any part of it and wanted to take more pics with Shamu. So I began to get 'passionate' and told Nathan he had to take a pic with Yodi. The first one is of his 'precious, beloved, favored, adored' Shamu and the last two are my attempt of capturing the 'sweet, innoncent, endearing' relationship between Nathan and Yodi.

(yes, that is coloring on his wall...)


I literally had to hold Yodi up to Nathan's face, Nathan wouldn't even hold him and even kept trying to cover up Yodi's face






Yodi, You will be missed, even if it is just by me! :(