The Saga of Hello Kitty

Until last year, I had cruised through parenting. I avoided the one thing I'd heard so much about: Comfort Items. Kaia was never attached to anything other than Minners, so there was never any tears over a missing blanky or stuffed animal... then Morgan went to the hospital. It felt life changing at the time for both Dana and I, but the kids really did take it all in. And from the hospital stay on, they both have comfort items.


My mom (Grandma Owie) bought Kaia a Hello Kitty during that first weekend. She gave Mo a puppy, but that didn't become his comfort item. He grabbed onto his Thomas Blanket that Grammy made him, and that has been special to him ever since.



Hello Kitty has been through a lot in her 7 months at our home. She goes almost everywhere with Kaia. Outside to play. She went to Grammy's house. She went to preschool many times (and accidentally spent the night, which meant night time tears at our house). She went camping. She had a huge hole dug in the back of her head where the stitching failed. It took at least a month for Grammy and I to convince her that one of us should stitch her up. Finally, Kaia relented and allowed Grammy to do it, but we weren't allowed to wash her.

Today, she had her first wash ever! I wish I had taken a photo of her before, although you can reference the photos from Memorial Day weekend to see a portion of the dirt on her. You should have seen how brown she was with dirt all over. You also should have seen purple marker on her. Apparently the gals that watched her in the afterschool program saw nothing wrong with Kaia tracing her white Hello Kitty with purple marker! And the reason for her finally getting a bath... on the last day of preschool, someone let Kaia take Hello Kitty with her when she went to the bathroom. Hello Kitty in an attempt to either escape or finally get a bath jumped right into a toilet. Ewwwww!!!!! She looks much better, although still smells a bit funky!

Kaia wants you to know that Hello Kitty didn't smile for this photo, because she's too scared. Also Hello Kitty doesn't like water, but loved taking naps at preschool. Kaia is elated that Hello Kitty is no longer in the wash, and that she is making an appearance on the blog!