One of my favorite things about being a mom is watching your child  select their "lovie." You know, that object that is loved to pieces...many times, literally in pieces, over the years. It is always that final little thing they need to fall asleep, feel safe when scared, overjoyed when found after being "lost" under a pillow or pile of clothes. The object often develops a smell and texture all its own...coated with what some may call a "funk" but us moms know is just layers of "kid love."

When I was a child, I had a doll named, "Susie" and a blanket named, "Lala." My little girl has "Puppy", my son has "blanket and Teddy", my husband a panda named, "Lucky." "Lucky" by the way is tattooed to his ankle! Serious love there!  I can even remember the most loved objects of affection of friends growing up...my best friend had "Little Pillow"...and still does; the boy next door a stuffed dog, "Henry", whom his daughter now snuggles.

I assisted at a wedding last year and both the bride and groom's moms had saved their daughter and sons "lovies." They had them out on display along with childhood photos at the wedding! Some guests may have looked at the well-worn, stuffed things as rags and passed them by never realizing the historical significance of these objects. But I knew exactly what they were...and how full circle and symbolic to have them on display at their "owners" wedding. These little things were their first loves after all (besides their own parents)...something they selected, for whatever reason or attraction it held when they were oh so young...and now on their wedding day...to have them there as the couple celebrated another love! AWESOME.

Ok...so on to some photos...and why the story above...at the end of a recent session my little subject became tired and was obviously done. Her grandmother handed her, "Ted"...and well, the photos speak for themselves. I could just see her saying without any words, "oh hello my dear friend, how I missed you, thank you for being here." Love and comfort of the purest kind! Enjoy...and may you remember the love you had for a "stuffed" something so long ago and how it was all you needed to comfort you after you fell or made a mad dash to your parents room during a thunder storm with it clenched in your arms.

xoxo,

Jenny