Today’s post is brought to you by Jess and her writing challenge. [You will find her post here.]
“Mom!” Stacey yelled from her room. “I can’t find my baby doll!”
“It’s wherever you put it last.” Stacey’s Mom yelled from the kitchen.
“But I had the doll in my bed, and now it is gone!” Stacey screamed.
“Would you please stop yelling!” Stacey’s Mom hollered back. She rolled her eyes and smiled, as she realized she was doing the very same thing.
Stacey joined her mother in the kitchen. With tears in her eyes, she muttered, “Baby Tessa is probably scared, because she is lost and all alone.”
Stacey’s Mom knelt down to meet her little 4yr old eye to eye, “She’ll be okay, Stacey. I promise.”
“But, she’s too young to be left by herself.”
“Let me finish cutting the potatoes, and I will help you find her. Deal?”
Stacey’s face lit up with a smile, “Deal!”
After cutting the potatoes and dropping them in the boiling water, Stacey’s Mom wiped her hands and went to see her daughter. “Where did you have it last?” She asked.
“In my bed. I had Baby Tessa in my bed.”
“Did you look under the covers?” Stacey’s Mom said, as she pulled back the blankets. “Stacey!” She gasped. “How much stuff do you sleep with at night?”
Stacey blushed. “Well, I don’t want anyone to feel left out.”
Stacey’s Mom smiled and shook her head. Under the covers of Stacey’s bed, she found a small Beatrix Potter book, a stuffed caterpillar, Stacey’s Super Girl cape, a bear snuggy, a duck snuggy and a banana shaped pillow. “Where did you get this banana shaped pillow, Stacey?”
“Kate gave it to me.”
“Kate?” Stacey’s Mom asked. “Honey, Kate is only 14 months old. How could Kate give you this banana shaped pillow?”
“Well, while I was at her house today, I noticed a bunch of stuff in their garage.”
“Sweetie, they are having a garage sale this weekend. The stuff you saw is for the garage sale.”
“I know! The banana shaped pillow was in the pile of stuff. I asked Kate if I could have it, and she said I could.”
“Stacey, did you take your doll to Kate’s house?”
“Yes.”
“Honey, let me turn off the stove and call Kate’s Mom. I think we need to go to their house and pay their garage a visit.”
Stacey and her Mom walked to Kate’s house. As they entered the garage, Stacey’s Mom noticed the pile of stuff set aside for the garage sale. And there, right next to a duck painting, a universal remote control and a sundry of other things, Stacey found her baby doll, Tessa.
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Lenore's Thoughts Exactly 
Nice job Lenore! It’s even illustrated, I love it!
Thanks, Jess. Glad you liked it. I had fun ‘playing’.
Well done. Thank goodness she found the doll! Though, I must admit that doll reminds me of the one my father used to hide in live fires and make his cadets toil away until he found the poor babe. Then he’d bring her home smelling of smoke like nothing happened. Nice huh?
Just heard about the Happiness Project. I’m kind of mad I didn’t think of it myself. It’s a simple, yet great idea.
Cheers, Julie
Thanks, Julie. I appreciate your kindness. Your Dad – oh my! What a memory. Makes me want to run and hug the doll! For the record, the doll is sleeping with my youngest son. If you are familiar with ‘Free to Be, You and Me’ – William wants a doll. 🙂
Isn’t the Happiness Project great?
Cheers back to you!
Great investigatory work! One of life’s great impossibilities involves helping kids keep track of their toys.
You are correct, Maura. The daily question is, “Where is my ….?”
Every time my kids bring a toy along I ask them not to bring it, and I realize I’m going to be the one who keeps a constant eye on their beloved toys to prevent them from losing their toys and having a traumatic experience.
Literally – every single time. Parenthood comes with such responsibilities!