Old Friends

My dad bought Violet a big Winnie the Pooh bear for her before she was even born. He and my mom were so excited when they found out a baby was on the way that they started buying things right away. One of the first items bought was the Pooh bear. My dad bought the giant lovable bear because I had one as a child and carried it everywhere I went... he wanted Violet to have the same friendly bear that I had as a child.

This year, for Valentine's day, Violet received a video of Winnie the Pooh's "A Valentine for You" from Gregg's parents. Violet has fallen in LOVE with Winnie the Pooh recently. She asks to watch her video quite often and when she watches it she loves on her big Pooh bear that my dad got her.

Now that I've told you the history of Violet's Winnie the Pooh, I have to share with you what she calls him. Violet calls this friendly bear "Pooh-Boo Bear". Gregg and I love this name for Pooh and I think we'll always refer to him as that, even when Violet gets older and learns the real name. There is always an innocence that comes to mind when you think of Pooh, but to hear him called "Pooh-Boo Bear" makes the innocence stick, seem more real. I think that's because it's simply said by a child who loves him, who finds comfort in its embrace, who finds comfort in his friendship. As Christopher Robin sings, "Old friends have a place in the heart that always knows a friend. It knows that you are always with me, a place just for Pooh."