Maeby and Her Bunny

A couple months ago we bought Maeby a bag full of stuffed animals from Good Will. Now, you have to understand that, when it comes to stuffed toys, Maeby makes it her mission to unravel and unstuff these poor animals. Their "guts" are usually strewn across the living room floor. Sometimes the carnage is unbelievable... everything from butterflies, monkeys ("Monkey!"), hedgehogs, turtles, reindeer boot skates (don't ask), and Mr. Bear have been disemboweled. After all the stuffing-shed, we finally came to our senses: rather than buying new stuffed toys for $5 each, why not pay that much for a whole bag of future victims from Good Will? Makes much more sense! We did so in late November, and all the unfortunate souls in that bag have since been turned into a shell of their former selves.

Except one... Bunny.

Why Bunny, you ask? Well, frankly, we don't know... Bunny seems as good a candidate as any for the ritual gutting. Yet he has survived because Maeby simply won't tear him to shreds. Sure, she chews on him, plays tug-o'-war with him, whips him around without mercy. But she also carries him around everywhere, sleeps with him, and even knows to bring him to us when we say, "Go get your bunny!" While we call him "Bunny," he was formerly a Peter Rabbit wearing a coat and holding a carrot; he has since been stripped naked and robbed of his one earthly possession. Still, she keeps him by like no other toy she's ever had.

Beth has said on multiple occasions that she'll probably shed tears if/when Bunny goes. I have to agree. There's something very meaningful in this unexplained behavior of our dog. We chalk it up to good parenting.