All you need is love

The boy has a lovey that he loves more than anything else in the whole entire world. It’s a stuffed lion, his name is Leo (as I so imaginatively named him), and he’s been the boy’s best friend in the whole entire universe since he was five months old. Now, as I have extensive experience in the matter, I bought the boy three Leo’s which we’ve been alternating for the past almost three years. Several months ago, however, he totally surprised us by not only being able to tell the Leos apart, he also had a “favorite”. “Favorite” Leo, soon became Leo di Nanna (Bedtime Leo) and was immediately pronounced housebound by yours truly. There was no way that I was going to let Bedtime Leo out of the house, if the Boy wouldn’t sleep without him, what if I lost him?

So the three Leos soon became one housebound Bedtime Leo and two interchangeable “Leo di Fuori” (Outside Leo). Whenever we go out, I am almost maniacally careful about Leo’s whereabouts, I practically check I have Leo before I check whether I’ve got the two kids in tow.  Well, last week I did the unimaginable. I lost one of the Outside Leos (losing Bedtime Leo would’ve resulted in my immediate suicide, or more likely matricide by the boy). I’ve looked for him everywhere. He’s gone. (sniff)

As was predictable, concurrently to the “Day of Great Tragedy” wherein I demonstrated my failure at being a good mother by losing one of my son’s favorite toys, the Girl started showing an interest in Outside Leo. (She’s not allowed near Bedtime Leo, no one is.)
I never managed to get the Girl to bond with a lovey, she decided early on that I was her lovey and no stuffed animal or soft blanket or even binky could replace me, so there. Anyway, now that she’s showing an interest in Outside Leo, I find myself in a bit of a bind, if Outside Leo is to be promoted to the position of the Girl’s Bedtime Leo, then I need to get more Leos to fill in the position of Outside Leos. Following?

Here’s where my life predictably complicates itself beyond what is acceptable for man or beast.  I went online and after much searching I found out the following: the store in Houston where I had bought Bedtime Leo, and successively, Outside Leos 1 and 2 has gone out of business; Ty, the company that produces Leo has discontinued the product; Leo sells used on ebay for $19.99; he sells new on amazon for $61.59 (yeah, I thought it was a typo when I read it the first time too); on another toy store website Leo sells new for $99.99 (so technically Amazon’s price is a total steal).

Oh, I also found out his official name is Ty Lux “Catnap” Lion and as one of the website put it, he’s “retired”. How cute. Now, I bought Outside Leo # 2 last year for $9.99, isn’t selling him for $61.59 a year later pure speculation? Are they just trying to bank off the needs of desperate mothers?? Thankfully Nana saved the day and a replacement Outside Leo is on it’s way to her house from Amazon and then it will be fed-exed across the pond to the waiting arms of her grandkids. No expense is too great for a doting grandmother.

But, I tell you, that Leo is staying in his original box, with all the tags attached until tragedy strikes and I lose another one of the original Leos. Because if I make it a few years with no major mishaps that baby’s being sold for like two hundred bucks.

I mean, seriously, how on earth can they sell a stuffed animal for that much money. As a friend suggested, I probably didn’t even lose Outside Leo, he's just been kidnapped. I’ll be on the lookout for a ransom note.