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The forgotten comfort of a stuffed bear
A few weeks ago, I was tucking Ellie into bed when she handed me one of her favorite stuffed animals. I had mentioned that I had been having trouble sleeping so she offered up Brownie, her plush bear with the bright red ribbon tie. She said Brownie would help me sleep better and would be easier to hug than my usual pillow. Plus, she pointed out, Brownie is much quieter than Papa and doesn't snore at all.
Of course, I graciously accepted her offer and took Brownie downstairs with me. Later when I went to bed, I grabbed up the little bear and brought him with me. I didn't really intend to sleep with him, I just didn't want her to know he had been left alone in the living room all night.
I put him next to me on the pillow and when I woke the next morning, I was surprised to find Brownie clutched tightly in my arms. Obviously I had grabbed on to him at some point in the night and there he stayed. And you know what? She was right. Brownie was much better suited for hugging than my pillow and I slept better that night than I had all week. It's been over two weeks now and I am still sleeping with Brownie.
There really is something comforting about having that bear at night. It may be because he's her bear and it is the next best thing to cuddling her. Whatever the reason, I highly recommend grabbing one of your kid's stuffies before heading to bed tonight. I may be too old to be sleeping with a stuffed bear, but I am also too old to care if you tease me about it.
Of course, I graciously accepted her offer and took Brownie downstairs with me. Later when I went to bed, I grabbed up the little bear and brought him with me. I didn't really intend to sleep with him, I just didn't want her to know he had been left alone in the living room all night.
I put him next to me on the pillow and when I woke the next morning, I was surprised to find Brownie clutched tightly in my arms. Obviously I had grabbed on to him at some point in the night and there he stayed. And you know what? She was right. Brownie was much better suited for hugging than my pillow and I slept better that night than I had all week. It's been over two weeks now and I am still sleeping with Brownie.
There really is something comforting about having that bear at night. It may be because he's her bear and it is the next best thing to cuddling her. Whatever the reason, I highly recommend grabbing one of your kid's stuffies before heading to bed tonight. I may be too old to be sleeping with a stuffed bear, but I am also too old to care if you tease me about it.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
11-04-2007 @ 1:58PM
Sabrina said...I'm 24 years old and a married mom of 2, and I still sleep with the same bear I've slept with since I was 1 year old. Luckily my husband is willing to share the bed with my bear. I'm not one who likes to sleep too close to people, it's just too warm with all that body heat, but I do like to hug something. People think I'm insane, but it's comforting!
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11-04-2007 @ 1:50PM
Joy said...This is very cute. I would never tease you Sandy. When my oldest son moved out I wasn't very happy about it though it was "his" time to go. He had an old english sheep-dog that was very "real-like" that he slept with for years and he "left it behind" for me. So, I did like you did and I loved sleeping with him. His name is Rags and I still do take him with me on some occasions. It is very comforting to me. ****sh****don't tell anyone***
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11-04-2007 @ 2:15PM
Jenn said...I've had Panda Bear since my first birthday (I'm 37 now), and he was my best friend for a long time. Mostly he keeps watch over my daughter's crib now, but every so often I bring him in to sleep with me. I'd sleep with him more, but he's so old I'm afraid he'll fall apart!
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11-04-2007 @ 3:53PM
Jill said...When I went to Europe for a year of college, I could only pack one large backpack. While choosing what to leave out, I decided I was much too mature to have to take my Teddy. Biggest mistake of the year. There was no internet communication with my family, only expensive 5 minute phone calls once a week, and I was very homesick. I really needed Teddy and I will never leave him behind again. He sleeps on a shelf, watching over my kids. We snuggle him sometimes to "keep him alive" but he's pretty fragile these days.
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11-04-2007 @ 3:52PM
rachel said...I sleep with my bear every night. My husband gave him to me while we were dating, after we had a big fight. He was an "I'm sorry" gift, accompanied by chocolates. I don't remember why I started sleeping with him, but hes much comfier than any pillow or balled up blankets- huh, maybe hubby gave him to me so I would stop being a blanket hog?
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11-04-2007 @ 5:58PM
mamacheryl said...I'm feeling very sentimental about the stuffed Snoopy in my son's bed right now. We had it around, but Ben wasn't interested... that is until I was in the hospital a month ago, trying to stop labor and then when I had the baby. When he couldn't see Mommy, he asked to sleep next to Snoopy. Now that I'm home, Snoopy is still his buddy in bed. I'm just glad he had something to cuddle when he was being brave. And when he's older and Snoopy is forgotten again, I have a feeling Snoopy will come live in my room.
Cheryl at http://redpens-diapers.blogspot.com
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11-04-2007 @ 10:00PM
Anna V. said...I'll admit it... I still have to sleep with a stuffed animal. Boot camp was awful... I slept with my pillow tightly in my arms, my sweatshirt as the pillow. I've proudly carried my bear in public, through an airport in uniform. I sleep now with my husband's old Little Foot, and he takes my AndyBear when the military sends him away. It's comforting.
I'm still a little afraid of the dark too. My daughter kids me about it, but at least I'm brave enough to admit it.
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11-05-2007 @ 1:05AM
Gia said...I am 26 and occasionally I sleep with a teddy-bear.
When I was in high school a friend turned boyfriend gave me this incredibly soft teddy bear, Robear. I slept with that thing every night. The friend/boyfriend and I parted ways but I still slept with that bear, until my jealous ex-husband fed it to our dog. I cried.
It's been 7 years since then, but I was reminded of the comfort a teddy bear can give. This past end of feburary I went into the hospital for my gallblader.
I found out that I had to have my gallblader surgically removed, my family passed the word on to all other family members. My dad lives in Virginia and I live in Missouri, so he sent me a bouqet of yellow daisys and a small bear. The bears name is Mr. Giles. Mr. Giles was with through everything. And he helped during the recovery too. And even now that Im back to my old self he still sleeps with me. Sometimes he's on my desk next to my bed, but at times he has the spot right next to me.
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