The best mom tip ever. (oh, and something dumb I did.)

So, when I was a new mom, I read all sorts of things to do with/for your child. A couple I liked:

1. Take a picture of your child every year with the same stuffed animal; this will show how much they have grown each year.  I did this at Halloween with a stuffed ghost.  Mainly because Halloween is the greatest day ever. I get to dress like a princess and parade around and I don't look crazy.  Ok, I don't look as crazy...

2. Get the book Oh the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss.  (I recommend this one.)  Everyone, literally everyone gives this book as a graduation book.  Have your child's teacher sign it every year and when they graduate from high school, you'll have a super neat gift.  (Or a large, hardcover card suitable for putting a large check in...)

AND #3, the best EVER
If your child has a favorite toy--and he or she will, buy two. This is actually genius.  For my princess, it's "Alex"


Upon realizing just how important this bear was, I decided to buy two.  And, I had to go to great lengths to do so--this bear was so popular that Build-A-Bear sold out of them very quickly.  I finally found one on Ebay and snatched it up.  TIP: You must rotate these so that they both show equal wear, and one could easily replace the other at the drop of a hat.

It has literally saved us. Once, we thought the princess left Alex in Indiana.  We certainly were not flying back for a bear. The entire drive home from the airport I convinced her that I had packed Alex to "keep her safe." I ran to the hiding spot, grabbed back-up Alex, and bedtime was a breeze.  (Alex #1 turned up in her on board bag. Thankfully, I found her.  I still am puzzled by the fact that Alex was in there the whole time...) Another time, Alex's back ripped open, not to worry, stunt double Alex saved the day.  I simply can't tell you how many times this little trick made my life so much easier. For 2 years I had kept up this charade.   

Then, I let my daughter find the back up bear. Not intentionally, but she was getting hangers out of my closet to hang her shirts.  Alex #2 (or #1; who can keep up?) hides behind the sweaters hanging on the bottom rack.  She cannot be seen UNLESS you move the clothes.  Which, apparently, was necessary to find hangers.

Before telling me (so I could try to salvage this), my daughter runs upstairs and checks her room for her Alex. So, now she knows there actually are two.  She questions me.  I can't tell her why there are two--she'd never trust me again.  So, I made up some story about my sister buying her one, but I had already bought her one, and I didn't want to hurt my sister's feelings, so I kept her.  Why did I hid her?  Um...I wasn't.  I just kept her with my shoes because I love my shoes (especially my sperrys) and I wanted to see her every morning but I also didn't want to get it mixed up with hers....

Now, both bears go EVERYWHERE with us.

All I can think about is, should I buy a third?