this little piggy

Before Christmas, once in a while Elian would pretend that piglet from Winnie-the-Pooh was playing along with him. He'd give his invisible piglet a ride on the back tire of his bike. He'd carefully set him down on the game board when we played Sorry. And when I vacuumed, he'd stick him on top of the vacuum cleaner for a little ride.

One day he came home from preschool and mentioned that someone had brought a stuffed piglet in for show and tell. He said, "I think I'd like a stuffed piglet, Mama." Since his Ugli doll Target seemed to be the only object of his stuffed-animal affections, I was a little skeptical. But I thought, well, he likes Piglet, he talks about Piglet, and he PRETENDS to have a piglet, so what's another stuffed animal that he doesn't even look at.

I ordered the piglet shortly before Christmas. It hadn't arrived before we left town so I arranged a secret "Operation Piglet Placement" with the neighbor. She intercepted the box from our porch, and carefully placed it in Elian's stocking where it would be waiting for him when we got home -- along with the load from Santa. He took one look at the Piglet peeking out of his stocking and didn't seem very impressed.

But ever since then, Piglet has been sleeping in bed with him. And he even makes it downstairs with Target along with about five other stuffed dogs that have made their way into his bed. Somehow the addition of Piglet, along with a stuffed "Friday" from Hotel Dogs he got in a Happy Meal and a "Romeo" from his cousin Chloe, has unlocked the stuffed-animal sensibilities. Now he sleeps with about six dogs, piglet AND Target.

This photo was taken a few days after Christmas. Notice sad Target not getting any love -- let alone any blanket. Poor Target. I imagine he feels just like Woody did when Andy got Buzz Lightyear.