Lost Monkey

On Saturday, we all went to Target to pick up a few items before our big trip this week: sun hats, birthday presents, and khakis. Josephine was sleeping when we got there, so I carefully lifted her out of the carseat and into her stroller. She woke of course, but did relax for a while taking in the sights as we did our shopping. At some point in the trip, she got out of the stroller and walked. Later when we were loading the car, I noticed that her beloved monkey was no longer with us. First I searched Target, then Madeleine and Michael executed a search. Finally, they left Josephine's name and number and a description of monkey at Lost & Found, but we haven't heard back.

Josephine asked for monkey several times on the ride home, and fortunately, we had two monkeys that rotate and so were able to give a monkey to Josie when we got home, but the entire incident scared Michael and I a bit. Josephine loves her monkey - she hugs him at night and in her carseat, gives him rides in the stroller, and strokes his tail to go to sleep or whenever she needs a little extra comfort. I just ordered two new 'Dangles' monkeys by Ty. We'll guard Josie's monkey extra carefully until the new ones arrive and can be gently weathered in the washing machine and dryer.

Madeleine recently brought home a school paper that she must have worked on close to Thanksgiving. The assignment asked students to write what they are thankful for and Madeleine had written 'Good people and my cusns.' Madeleine loved getting to see her cousins over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, and is very much looking forward to seeing her cousins Shelby and Spencer in Jamaica this week. Actually, we all are - they (and their parents) are just fun to hang out with. Spencer's mom, Aunt Amy, took this photo of two gap-toothed cousins during their visit last summer.