October 2013
While wandering the IKEA near mall of America in Minnesota we approached the xhildrens section. Leiland saw in a display a single brown and white beagle like dog he liked. He pointed and pleaded. I told him we couldn't take that one but we would look for more.
We found the stuffed animals and had to look hard but finally found the pile and he chose his pick of the litter.
The entire trip in Minnesota and he would take "puppy" everywhere. Leilands very literal when it comes to naming things.
Months go by and he still is so glued to puppy. He's never had a lovey and I'm shocked this started so late.
Puppy goes almost everywhere including yosemite in June 2014.
July 2014 we drive to Michigan.
Night one in the hotel and I carry sleeping kids in and Tim goes back for the bags. Grabs puppy since Leiland is awake. The next day we leave without puppy. I didn't see him but I also hadn't been looking. We realize it once in Michigan so I call the hotel. Puppy has been found. Hooray the hotel is mailing it to us.
Leiland is overjoyed to have puppy back and think he got it from James and kayla since it arrived at their house. Whatever he's back.
Over the next several months puppy still is the main guy but not so attached we have to take it.
In the fall I decide to order a back up terrified we will lose him and of course he's no longer sold.
Sometime in February 2015
Leiland gets in trouble for the umpteenth time and so I go in and toss all his stuffed animals off the bed. Including puppy at least I think. A couple days pass and he looks for puppy and can't find him. Looks everywhere and I tell him I'll find it. I do some cleaning and no puppy. I tell Leiland when we pack he will have to show up. No puppy. So then we move and I'm surprised how well he's taking it. But I have the backup I'd bought.
June 2015
I get an email from eBay of another puppy for sale and it's a good deal. On a whim I order it. It arrives and I let Leiland open it. He is overjoyed. He's so happy the mail lady found it and brought him back.
Leiland is more attached then I'd ever seen and he's taking puppy everywhere. One day at nap he decides not to sleep and changes puppy's name to zyla. Like xylophone.
Here we are almost August and puppy is glued to Leiland every day most of the day. To stores. Library. At the counter when he eats. And must be in bed at nap and night. Attached. With how well he did losing it I'm shocked how attached he now is.
I do have the back-up up stored in my craft room just in case. I'm still sad we lost the original though and can't fathom where it went. But puppy aka zyla rejoined the family and I love seeing Leiland happy to have him. I cherish the bond they have even if it is a stuffed animal.
What's really cute is if Leiland leaves it in another room Owen will get it if he sees and take it to Leiland. So precious.
