The bear that got Jocie

Well, since it was Jocie's true first birthday on Sunday (January 13th, 2008), we decided to go and do something as a family, so, naturally we went to the place that most Midwestern families coagulate on a Sunday afternoon in the Winter when its cold and snowy outside... we went to the Mall.

After a brief yet festive luncheon, where the birthday girl out-ate everyone else at the table, we decided on a stroll to work of the extra calories that were consumed when I decided it was a good idea to purchase a large french fry from a place that slices the potatoes and fries them before your very eyes.

Someone, and I'm not naming names (but her initials are JP... wait, that doesn't give away much) decided it was a good idea to go and buy baby Jocie her first stuffed teddy bear (actually, I think she wanted a stuffed cat for her... but whos worried about details here... its my blog).

Now, being the fiscally responsible person that I am... well, that I wish I could be... I immediately tried to put the kibosh on that event, but was soon out voted by the two older offspring who over heard the 'Build-A-Bear' word and bolted to the store the instant we stepped off the elevator on the first floor.

I'm sure I could have handled the older two (the lure of the cookie place that we'd passed a few minutes prior would have been enough to redirect their instant desire to buy more clothes for their already burgeoning bear closets), but, a new voice started adding her say to the families current destination.

What? My one year old daughter thinks she can join in? Now? Just because she turned one?

Hrmppf.

Well, she took one look at all those teddy bears through the window at the store (darn them for their displays) and screamed pure joy and started rocking her self as if she could pull herself there on her own.

So, in we go. And I'm thinking to myself, she can't possibly find something she likes here, so, her indecision will save my financial (well, lets call it what it is... anti-social and anti-anything my wife wants to do) attitude. But, she has the gall to pick out a nice soft and pink teddy bear.

Go figure. Her... with something soft... and a teddy bear at that.

My wife had hoped for a kitty cat, but, I suppose the bear is just as much the same since its soft enough, and I'm sure our feline friends at home will welcome the respit from Jocie romping on them like a rugby player about to save their team from a last ditch goal.

jp