These are Rabbit, formerly Rabbi. There are two of them for a very good reason. Here's a story I originally posted on Evil Facebook back in August 2015, when Sam was just under two years old...
Sam's favourite teddy is a large Nutbrown Hare from the Guess How Much I Love You book. His Uncle Adam bought it for him when he was very small and they've been pretty much inseparable ever since. If "Rabbi" isn't in Sam's cot when he goes to bed, there is much protesting. However, because of all the love he receives, Rabbi does occasionally need to go in the washing machine...
To solve the problem of Missing Rabbi, we bought a Spare Rabbi who we cunningly substitute for the real thing from time to time in the way Indiana Jones swaps the golden Aztec Fertility Idol for a bag of dust in the opening scene of Raiders... with care, subterfuge and split second precision.
This morning, such a substitution was required. So while I distracted Sam, mummy used the clever ploy of "giving Rabbi a cuddle" to do the swap, returning to Sam a clean and fresh Rabbi so she could sneak the other one off to the wash.
The boy took one look at his "returned" toy and without even a blink said simply: "New Rabbi!"
After that, we soon gave up the pretence of there being only one Rabbit and let Sam have them both. They're still his go-to toy, two and a half years later. I wonder how much longer they'll wield such power...
I still have my old Huggy Bear up on top of the bookcase in my office (missing a nose since my old dog Nip chewed it off when I was about 11).
It should come as no surprise then that Sam was overjoyed when I added this track to our in-car listening selection...
The boy took one look at his "returned" toy and without even a blink said simply: "New Rabbi!"
After that, we soon gave up the pretence of there being only one Rabbit and let Sam have them both. They're still his go-to toy, two and a half years later. I wonder how much longer they'll wield such power...
I still have my old Huggy Bear up on top of the bookcase in my office (missing a nose since my old dog Nip chewed it off when I was about 11).
It should come as no surprise then that Sam was overjoyed when I added this track to our in-car listening selection...
Say what you like about Chas 'n' Dave, but this is still a classic. Still haven't found any rabbit in Sainsbury's though. But I did see some oysters in Tesco the other week...
Aww - lovely story
ReplyDeleteCan I offer up Rabbit by Amy LaVere for when he gets slightly older?
I'll check it out.
DeleteLovely. You know the smell, the feel, every inch of your favourite toy (have to be very careful here when using the word 'rabbit'....sorry!) even when you're only two. I too still have my threadbare (and also noseless) yellow 'pippaluk' in a box under the bed. He was practically cuddled to death, and also hung out on the line to dry a few times. I just can't throw him out.
ReplyDeleteAs for Chas'n'Dave - did you ever see that BBC documentary on them? They came across so well, so true to themselves, really quite punk in their own way. It included a classic clip of them being interviewed on breakfast tv by Selena Scott in the '80s, she was being very snobby and treating them like idiots and they weren't having it. They went up miles in my estimation after that.
You can't throw out an old teddy out, it would've liking throwing out your childhood.
DeleteHadn't seen that doc, but I like the sound of it. Anyone who takes the piss out of Selena Scott goes up in my estimation too.
That's sweet Rol. I hope Rabbi is as loved and fondly remembered by Sam as my own old pals are.
ReplyDeletehttp://unthoughtofthoughsomehow.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/friends-reunited.html
Aww....
DeleteHeart-warming stuff. Shit song though.......
ReplyDeleteJC
Don't listen to the grumpy old man, Sam, he doesn't mean it.
DeleteDoes your family know the Knuffle Bunny children’s books? My kids loved them. Knuffle Bunny Too has an interesting twist on your two bunnies tale. Two rival little ones get their Knuffle Bunnies mixed up and each senses this in the middle of the night. The dads are left to make an exchange in the middle of the night. It’s a really cute story.
ReplyDeleteNever heard of them, but we have read Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus by the same author. I just ordered a copy. Thanks, Brian.
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