Comments on Fighting Monsters with Rubber Swords: Le Roi est mort. Vive le Roi.

My lovy couldn't be replaced because it was one of...

2008-04-09T13:22:00.000-05:00

My lovy couldn't be replaced because it was one of a kind. My Dad said he wished they'd known or they'd have bought something with 3-4 back up copies.

My DS is attached to a blue moose

As a kid with quite an attachment to a blanket, I have to tell you she'll probably know from the smell.

My husband already plans on picking up a replacement moose before they stop selling them.

Oh my... 27 years old and still I'm moved - with m...

2008-03-06T15:49:00.000-06:00

Oh my... 27 years old and still I'm moved - with my eyes tearing up - over a cuddly bear... and fatherly love. I hail you for not throwing Jasper I away, but taking him on the tour and handing him back to Schuyler when she'll be older. This is just beautiful. Sigh.

Poor Jasper. I'm loving the eye patch idea though....

2008-03-06T13:42:00.000-06:00

Poor Jasper. I'm loving the eye patch idea though. Maybe a peg leg to go along with it? :)

I once read somewhere about a great idea for repla...

2008-03-06T09:43:00.000-06:00

I once read somewhere about a great idea for replacing a destroyed bear, in which, after Teddy went missing, a series of postcards arrived from him, documenting his travels, and the various kind people that were "fixing him up" (new ribbon, eye replacement) and helping him get back home. After a few days (while the parent searched for a new bear), the replacement appeared at the doorstep, and the child was ready to accept the changes as the result of Teddy's adventure.

It seems to me that, of all the kids in the world, Schuyler especially will understand the importance of helping and healing a damaged, treasured thing. I think she will recognize the difference in Jasper. I think you should offer up the truth, and let your girl ask Jasper how much fixing up he wants, or if he is readyt to retire and let Jasper II do all the heavy lifting.

Don't be surprised if Schuyler notices the differe...

2008-03-06T07:58:00.000-06:00

Don't be surprised if Schuyler notices the difference at some stage. Like anastasia said, the old Jasper probably had a very distinct smell, even if he was washed from time to time.

My girls have very sensitive noses. They can even tell who's worn a specific shirt after it comes out of the laundry. Maybe Schuyler isn't the same in this way, but I'll bet the new Jasper also isn't quite as soft.

You may want to hang onto the old guy so she can see why the switcheroo was made.

You are a good dad. Tell the story to her one day ...

2008-03-06T05:23:00.000-06:00

You are a good dad. Tell the story to her one day so she knows what to look for in a future spouse:
unconditional love and affection. Uninhibited regard for her well being.

When I was a kid and my special Honey Bear got mau...

2008-03-06T02:50:00.000-06:00

When I was a kid and my special Honey Bear got mauled, I made the decision that I (under some supervision) would sew the repairs myself. Honey Bear, to this day, still has a one eye higher than the other and an upside-down nose. She's a little creepy now, honestly. But it didn't bother me a bit at the time.

I have a feeling she might notice. But I think kids take things like that okay, as long as it can be at least somewhat fixed.

Poor Jasper! How sad!!!We should know if we get ...

2008-03-06T01:47:00.000-06:00

Poor Jasper! How sad!!!

We should know if we get our BBOW by the end of this month. The count down begins, as our SLP sent in the report today. Keep your fingers crossed. I finished your book yesturday. I loved the ending. Andrew won't tell us either, so I guess we are both in the wait and watch mode. I am sure they both will amaze us as they go!

On a personal note, you mentioned in the book that your box class there in Plano was modeled after two other classes in the country, one being located in SEATTLE!!! Any idea where this is? It would be so interesting to find out more about this and maybe just maybe a potential for my little guy to find a spot?!? I thought I might contact Prentke Romich also and see if they know anything about it. I am so excited for him, I can't wait to see how he does with his BBOW!!!

For what it's worth, I think I would have done the...

2008-03-06T00:08:00.000-06:00

For what it's worth, I think I would have done the same thing. We can't help wanting to protect our kids from the sad things in life. But I agree that the original Jasper deserves to be kept around for his loyalty over the years - just in case that smart little girl you've got catches on to your devious plan and demands some 'splaining.

My guess is that if the truth comes out, she'll lo...

2008-03-05T23:37:00.000-06:00

My guess is that if the truth comes out, she'll love "Broken" Jasper as much, if not more than Jasper 2.0

The dog slobber might be a bit problematic, though...

So sad! And when she's sick, too! But as to what...

2008-03-05T22:41:00.000-06:00

So sad! And when she's sick, too! But as to what I'd do. Knowing me I'd probably take poor Jasper to the fabric store and see if I could find some "fur grafts" and a donated cornea to transplant, then we'd have the intensive seven hour touch and go surgery where my assistant would stand ready with scissors and sutures and such. But if I couldn't do that, I'd probably do what you did.

Rob, I don't know if this helps or not, but...... ...

2008-03-05T22:39:00.001-06:00

Rob, I don't know if this helps or not, but...

... when I was about nine, my mother's new dog ate my favorite stuffed toy (a poodle toy, I'm ashamed to say). My mother tried the same "switch" you're trying now, but I knew immediately. The way I knew was the smell. My dog smelled like tears and snuggles and dirt and face cream and lord knows what else. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm guessing she's going to notice. She may or may not mention it, but she will know that her Jasper is somehow "different" - that some of the "realness" has gone out of him.

If it were me (I have a 19 month old son, so I've thought about this some already), I think I would probably come clean to S. in the morning about what happened, and then take Jasper and Jasper II to a skilled seamstress and have her use spare parts from JII to repair the original J.

Sometimes mended toys are the best.

Good luck. Its a kind of weird pleasure to see that you and Julie are facing such a normal, typical parental struggle for a change.

I JUST finished the story of Schuyler's first embr...

2008-03-05T22:39:00.000-06:00

I JUST finished the story of Schuyler's first embrace of Jasper in your book.

Bad Max!!

My daughter Zoe, who is almost exactly Schuyler's ...

2008-03-05T22:30:00.000-06:00

My daughter Zoe, who is almost exactly Schuyler's age, is very attached to a lamb she got from her grandmother when she was born. She actually has 3 identical lambs, because when we saw how attached she was to "lammy" early on, her grandmother immediately bought a couple of "just in case" replacements. Zoe is in possession of all three "lammies" now, but only one bears the name "favorite lammy" and it's the one that she's had the whole time. Favorite Lammy is grey, ripped, and stinks to high heaven, but Zoe loves her best. I wouldn't be surprised if Schuyler loved her original Jasper regardless of his current injuries--especially if you bandage him up and add an eye patch. . .

You did the right thing, and the loving parent thi...

2008-03-05T22:22:00.000-06:00

You did the right thing, and the loving parent thing. That being said, Schuyler is one sharp cookie and will probably notice that her old buddy has been magically rejuvenated overnight. Hmm -- maybe you can use the Doctor Who explanation?

Just don't let Jasper #1 go, please! Just in case ...

2008-03-05T22:09:00.000-06:00

Just don't let Jasper #1 go, please! Just in case she wants him back. I still have my bear from when I was a baby (I'm your age now). He's threadbare, he's lost both eyes...twice and now sports empty metal sockets and my mother replaced his tongue at some point after a long absence. He's been humped by errant housecats and dropped in NYC puddles and he's traveled the world with me and I don't care that he's mauled and mangled and Frankensteined back together, he's mine and he knows me like nobody else....which now that I read it sounds super creepy but I think you'll know what I mean.

I think time will prove you did the right thing.

2008-03-05T21:56:00.000-06:00

I think time will prove you did the right thing.

Oh, poor Jasper! I feel a bit foolish getting wee...

2008-03-05T21:54:00.000-06:00

Oh, poor Jasper! I feel a bit foolish getting weepy over a "silly ol' bear" (Okay, that would be Pooh, but you get the gist) but I totally get it. I think you should come clean w/S anyway...I think she'd understand and even appreciate that you wanted to spare her the pain. ANd then she'd give you one of her famous looks that says "What were you thinking, anyway?" BAD, MAX! BAD, DOG!

Ahh...what are parents for, if not for this, somet...

2008-03-05T21:52:00.000-06:00

Ahh...what are parents for, if not for this, sometimes? What you did was magical and just fine.

You warmed my heart, as I'm sure you will others...and Schuyler's too, when you finally tell her.

Jennifer