Cheep-Cheep

My mom bought a little yellow stuffed chick at a garage sale for Ben shortly after he was born. She hung it up on one of his toys, but Abby noticed it right away and wanted it taken down so she could check it out. She was so excited to find out that it played "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and, apparently, they "bonded" because since that day they have become inseparable. Well, not truly inseparable, but almost - she sleeps with him every night (along with her three "bubbas" [kitties]), plays with him often during the day, and even named him "Cheep-Cheep."

Unfortunately, Cheep-Cheep was played with so much that his batteries soon got low and his music started slowing down. Abby was devastated when one day Cheep-Cheep didn't play his music at all when she pressed his tummy. Whenever something breaks, Abby is quick to say, "Dadda fix, Dadda fix," and in tears she took Cheep-Cheep to Dadda to fix. With no way to replace the batteries, save cutting Cheep-Cheep open, he couldn't help. It was one of her first lessons in learning that her Daddy cannot fix everything even if he wants to. (Actually, he did mention "surgery" but I didn't think that was a very good idea. =) But then for whatever reason, as Abby continued to press Cheep-Cheep's button over the next couple days, he eventually started playing music again. Abby was ecstatic! She exclaimed, "I fix it! I fix it!" and was bursting with pride that she fixed it even when her Mama and Dadda couldn't.

Because of his low batteries, Cheep-Cheep's rendition of "Twinkle, Twinkle" is now out of tune and very faint, but he still plays even weeks later. Sometimes he is more quiet than others and Abby has gotten into the habit of holding him close to her ear so she can hear the music. Frequently, he doesn't play the first time his button is pressed, but does by the second or third try. On these occasions, Abby is excited all over again and excitedly says, "I fix it! I fix it!" (everything is said in twos lately). Who knows how long the almost-dead batteries will last? For Abby's sake, I hope for a long time!

Recently up from her nap, Abby listens to Cheep-Cheep's music.

Last week it was nap time and Cheep-Cheep was no where to be found. I searched everywhere, but couldn't find him. As I laid Abby down not knowing what to expect, I told her that I simply couldn't find Cheep-Cheep and I offered her a few substitute stuffed animals. She confidently said, "Cheep-Cheep ocean beach." As I often have to do, I guessed at what she was saying and responded, "Cheep-Cheep is at the ocean beach?" "Yeah," she answered, "Fishin Ste-see. Fishin Dadda." I again responded, "Cheep-Cheep is fishing with Stephen and Dadda?" Abby nodded, "Yeah. Yeah." Apparently, that was enough for her and she went to sleep with no problems. After her nap, she found Cheep-Cheep again and I could hear her jabbering to him about the ocean beach and fishing. =)

But even through all their adventures, Abby still realizes that Grandma originally gave Cheep-Cheep to Ben, not to her. She frequently holds Cheep-Cheep up and says, "Benji's" (yes, she now calls him Benji almost exclusively - I'm not completely opposed to it, but it definitely makes me think of a certain dog...). She is quick to share Cheep-Cheep with Ben as well. She stuffs him in his face when he's in his swing, she presses him close to his ear when he's nursing so he can hear the music, and she pushes Cheep-Cheep into his hands and tells him to hold him. For now, it works that Cheep-Cheep is technically Ben's but is in Abby's possession 99% of the time. I wonder what will happen in the future when Ben tries to take his chick away from Abby for the first time?