Don't Forget the Pig

Along with the dog, cat and multiplying hamsters...we also have a pig.  Not any pig.  A very snugglable, very loved pig named "Olivia"

She posed for the family Christmas picture.

Snugglings

I picked up the pig at Kohl's as part of their book special.  They do fund raising for the local children's hospital.  They have books for $5 and the accompanying stuff animals.  This was part of "If you give a pig a party".  I bought some books and the pig.  The pig sat in her room for some time as a decoration and then one day something made sense to Clover and from then on the two of them have been virtually inseparable.  

When I worked in a day care, parents were always telling me tales of stuffed animals and disaster.  I knew that eventually as a parent it could happen to me so I always thought I would prepare myself and buy two of everything.  Or at least know where I could buy a replacement.  But here is the thing...you never know what your child is going to get attached too.  EVAR.  There is no way you can predict these things.  The odds are worse than the lottery.  And if you do find something you think they might get attached to, like say for instance it's cute and you like it...it will, for reason be invisible to them.  Needless to say from that paragraph, I only bought one pig.  Since it was part of a book drive I can't just walk into the store and buy another one.  I could buy one off of ebay if I really get desperate, so there is always that option.

The last two weeks my little Clover has been fighting off a bug.  She got full blown sick and then it's just been lingering.  It seemed like every time I looked over at her she was wiping her nose on everything.  Including poor Olivia.  Olivia was pretty gross by the end of the week.  So into the pillow case she went and I tried my best to sneak her into the washer.  About twenty minutes later Clover asked me where she was.  Frantic that she couldn't find her.  She usually doesn't notice where she is during the day but for some reason her Olivia-sense was tingling.  She seemed quite upset that her pig was now in the dryer.  I told her how gross she was.  She calmed down a bit and waited.  When Olivia emerged from the dryer soft, clean and downy fresh,  it was like reuniting with her best friend.  The pillow case did a great job of protecting her eyes and tail from the washer.  Since she has been attached to Olivia for some time her neck is starting to get a little wobbly however.  It just occurred to me that I could preform surgery and add a little more stuffing in there.  It would have to be something I do while she is asleep.  I wouldn't want to traumatize her by cutting up her precious pig in front of her.     

Maybe I should have been more specific when I said I wanted to live on a farm.  It may not be my big red barn but there sure are a lot of animals around here!