A Dog Named Tom

Charlotte was never one of those babies that had a special stuffed animal or a blanket or even a pacifier.  We have had an abundance of stuffed animals since she was born but she never really took to any of them and although she sometimes played with her stuffed animals or baby dolls, she could pretty much take them or leave them.  That is until she met Tom.

Tom is a pink and white stuffed dog that we have had since she was born.  Tom was always in the stuffed animal holder we kept over her bedroom door.  I don’t think Charlotte every picked this animal up in her entire life, until one day, I guess about 6 or so months ago, she decided his name was Tom.  And Tom and Charlotte have been inseparable ever since.

Tom goes EVERYWHERE with her.  Even if we are going out for a quick milk run for 30 seconds, the first thing out of her mouth is “WHERE’S TOM?”  Tom goes to bed with her and the first thing she asks when she wakes up in the morning is “WHERE’S TOM?”  Tom had to go to school with her on her first day of orientation.  Tom has continued to go to school with her and he stays in her backpack because technically toys aren’t allowed at school.  She tells me that Tom is sad in her backpack but she knows he is waiting for her.  Tom comes to restaurants and she has to repeatedly make sure he is in my bag when she isn’t holding him.  I went out to eat with my mom a week ago and forgot Tom in the house and we had to go back, because Charlotte started to cry that Tom would miss her.  Tom went to Sesame Place, Tom will go to Disney World.  A dog named Tom (I wish I knew where she came up with that name) has stolen my daughter’s heart and it is actually the sweetest thing in the world.

Because Tom goes everywhere, Tom was getting a little bit ripe.  He was more of a grey and pink shade at this point, so last Friday I had to put Tom in the washing machine and Charlotte had an absolute stroke the entire time.  If she could have sat in front of the washing machine and waited for him to come out, she would have.  When we told her he had to go in the dryer she cried so hard and said he would be too scared and instructed my mom to “dry him with the hand dryer!!!”  So my mom stood there and used a blow dryer to dry Tom while Charlotte waited impatiently for him.  Tom is proof that our kids can change on a whim.  I never thought she would ever have a connection to a stuffed animal like this, but she and Tom are stronger than ever.

Char ❤ Tom Forever