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A few days ago, my 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, brought me her beloved Baby Lamb. The lovey had a tear in the threadbare fabric that covered its head.

My daughter’s lovey has seen better days.

When Hannah was 2 weeks old, we received a baby gift of money in the mail one Friday afternoon. On the way to my mother’s house, I stopped by Toys R Us to pick up some bottle parts we needed. I also wanted to use the money to buy her something to snuggle with.

As I walked the baby toy aisle, my eyes landed on the Fisher Price Slumber Babies that were made in the late ’80s and early ’90s — flannel pink bunnies, white bears and yellow lambs. They were adorable and seemed the right size for Hannah to snuggle with at her tender age.

I picked out the yellow Baby Lamb for her, hoping it might bring her comfort. I introduced Hannah to her baby later that day.

Over the next few months, Hannah quickly took to her Baby Lamb. I would often see her snuggled up next to its soft fabric or chewing on its lamb ear in affection. Besides her pacifier, her Baby quickly became part of her precious baby days.

Her baby lamb started off nice and plump. Her adorable face had rosy cheeks and a little bit of yellow hair sewn in right under her lamb hood.

As time went on, Hannah carried Baby practically everywhere. Afraid she’d lose it when we were out and about, I eventually limited the lamb’s travels to the car or my mother’s house. If we went out of town, Baby Lamb could come, but we made sure to do frequent, “Baby checks” to make sure that my daughter and son both had their lovies before driving away.

One time, Hannah left her baby lamb at my mother’s house in Greensboro. After this, Baby pretty much stayed at home as it was easier than trying to keep up with her.

Baby lamb was shoved into the Little Tykes car as Hannah drove around the house and sat beside of Hannah as she watched TV or played with various toys. Hannah never gave Baby Lamb a name besides “Baby.”

As I tucked Hannah into bed at night, I would often say, “The moon is white, your Baby is yellow, and I love you.”

At times, my husband, Jay, and I would place our kids’ babies on the ceiling fan blades. We would turn the switch on and watch our kids scream in delight as their babies flew off the blades and through the air. The kids would jump up and down wanting us to do this again and again.

Baby lost some of her plump and was starting to fade. About the point that I thought I should get a back-up Baby Lamb, I noticed that Fisher Price no longer was making them. I was fortunate to find the white Slumber Baby Bear at a yard sale for 50 cents but knew it would not be held with the same affection if something happened to Baby.

A few years ago, I thought to look on eBay to see if I could find another Fisher Price Slumber Baby Lamb. I hoped to get one for memory sake that looked like Hannah’s did when I first bought it. I finally found an auction that not only offered the lamb, but the bunny as well. A box arrived a few days later from New York. Inside we found the two babies we ordered.

Although the extra Fisher Price Slumber Babies sit in various places around the house, it’s comforting to see the original Baby Lamb laying on my daughter’s pillow each morning after she leaves for work.

I’m glad Hannah never asked to pack her away out of sight.
When my daughter brought her original Slumber Baby Lamb to me the other day, I knew sewing her up was not an option. I simply placed a Hello Kitty Band-Aid on the back of her head while I considered what could be done to preserve baby.

Seems those trips on the ceiling fan and being carried everywhere Hannah went have taken their toll. Despite Baby Lamb’s delicate appearance, all I see are the deep effects of my daughter’s love for her softly faded Baby.

Linda Vestal is a wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend living in Gibsonville. Contact her with comments or story ideas at lindavestal@triad.rr.com.