I haven't saved every meaningful scrap of paper from my childhood, I don't have a scrapbook, and I was been pretty much a slacker in the baby book department. Sentamentality is just not a gift I have. I try to live in the moment and really "be" as much as possible. I carry around a sketchpad with me 24-7 and sketch it or write it down when I can. But enter Norton. He was the stuffed animal I got for Christmas when I was in second grade. I am not sure if he is a bear or just some strange made-up creature. He never quite made sense or fit in with the other animals and maybe I related to him or maybe I just decided to make him "the one" The only stuffed animal that made it with me to college and to marriage. I kept him because this bear/creature has my tear stains on it. He has been told every sad sorrowful story a poor chubby little girl can have. He was there for me for everything. So when my son claimed him as his, renamed him "Normie" because Norton was too formal, I was ok with it. Mostly because I figured withing a week or so Noah would be over him like so many other forgotten toys. That was two years ago. The other day I found Noah telling Normie his woeful story as to why he was in time out, sniffling the whole story. It just about burst my heart. But tonite....tonite I went to check on my babies and I saw this. And I thanked God for letting me have this moment. I sat and watched my son and just felt the love. Noah and Normie, a whole new love.