Daddy the hero - AKA: The Case of the Missing Bunny

If you know my children, you know how attached they are to their blankets. Puppy (Oliver's) and Bunny (Gabriella's) are a permanent fixture around our house. But I am not complaining. Those blankets are so helpful to us - they help them comfort themselves to sleep, they comfort them when we are away, and they help them when they are hurt - they are wonderful!

Yesterday was Oliver's first dentist appointment, so I took Gabriella to a drop-in daycare place called Adventure Kids (love it- check them out)! I knew I couldn't do Gabby and Oliver in a dentist office at the same time. I don't have enough arms for that! So off she went to play and have fun (with bunny in tow) while we went to the dentist. Oliver did SO awesome there! The dentist and hygienist were both wonderful to him and explained everything as we went. He opened his mouth like a pro and loved "Mr. Thirsty" (the name they gave the water sucker thingy they stick in your mouth). It was such a cute big boy experienced and I seriously loved every minute of it. My camera battery was dead when I tried to use it, so I don't have any pictures, but I do have some priceless memories. What a sweet boy I have!

So after stickers and bouncy ball rewards were passed out from the dentist, we headed off to pick up sister. We got her and all of her stuff in the car and headed for home. The golden arches of McDonald's were calling to Oliver as we passed by so I decided we could stop in and play for a bit as a special treat. We got a small snack and enjoyed some time on the playground before it was time to head home for lunch and naps.

After lunch, I laid my tired, past her naptime baby girl in her bed and proceeded to hunt for bunny and paci to get her to sleep. Found paci... but bunny was another story. I looked through all of the bags from the mornings adventures, in my purse, in the car 3 times, and in rooms we hadn't even been in since we'd been home. But no bunny - bunny was missing! Gabby was SCREAMING in her crib at this point and not accepting any of the substitute "bunnys" I was throwing at her. Times were desparate. I called Adventure Kids - no bunny there. I called McDonald's - no bunny there... although there was a bit of a language barrier going on during that call. Ahh! What do I do now! Daddy - HELP!

Matt was running errands on his lunch break so I asked him if he would drive by Adventure Kids and McDonald's and check out the parking lots and insides to see if he could find the missing bunny. I wasn't particularly hopeful thinking bunny had gotten dropped somewhere obscure and very well may never be found! I got Gabby out of bed and we waited... all the while I was having thoughts about how I was going to help my 1 year old cope with losing one of the most important things in her little world. Mommy was very sad almost to the point of tears about what I was going to do if bunny was gone for good!

About 15 minutes later, we received a call from Daddy the Hero! Bunny had been found!! Matt went inside McDonald's and found someone to help him look for bunny... and she was found in a supply closet of all places! I guess one of the people cleaning up found her somewhere and stuck her in the closet?? Regardless of how she made it there (we'll never know her whole traumatic story), she was FOUND! Joy! So Mommy and Gabby waited anxiously for Daddy to bring her home. Soon we heard the doorbell ring and as we rounded the corner to look out the front window, bunny was pearing inside the window at us as a greeting! Gabby was happy to see her, but I think more excited to see Daddy as she is a Daddy's girl and loves it when he comes home. But Mommy was beside herself with excitement to see that little pink bunny. My hero!!!

Gabby soon was off to dreamland with the help of bunny and things were right with the world again.

This all may seem a little melodramatic to some of you... but if you have kids with a comfort object like this, I know you at least will understand! Yay for happy endings... ahh...