To "B" or not to "B"

Here's a story for the books... in fact my mom suggested I write a children's book based on the following story. Each of my children has a story or two that I really hope I remember to tell them at an appropriate time in their adult-hood. This is one of Alissa's:

Alissa is the one of my three that we lovingly refer to as our "Linus." Linus, as I'm sure you all recall, is the Charlie Brown character who carries his beloved blankie around with him everywhere. Alissa has a blankie and a thumb (well 2 thumbs, but she'd just as soon have the left one removed cause she has the right one in her mouth 50% of the day). This story is about her blankie. Her blankie is called "B". Actually, I think that "B" is the Sabel family name for each of the kids blankies. My niece has a "B" and each of my kids has a "B", but Alissa seems to depend on hers more than the others. B is white, with satin on one side and the really, really soft stuff on the other. B is actually a blanket that was a gift from grandma Sabel to Anna, when she was born. A sad truth about third children is that many things get handed down. Thankfully this blanket had hardly been used when Alissa began her deep love for it. In fact I may have had to cut the tags off for her to use it.

For Alissa, B is everything. She laughs at the site of B on the other side of the room. B can stop a temper tantrum, heal a bonked head, but most of all, B must be present at all resting times. Naps and night-night are the most important times of the day for B to be present and accounted for. Many people mistake Alissa's behavior with B for tiredness, when in fact when Alissa comes in contact with B, no matter what time of day or what state of alertness (wide awake or half asleep), she automatically cuddles B on the floor as if she is about to fall asleep with her thumb in her mouth. It's very cute.

Two weeks ago grandma and grandpa Melby came to visit us at our new home. This was the first time they'd seen our new house so we were very excited to show them around. On the Friday evening that they arrived we spent some time outside showing them around and then we came inside for the remainder of the evening. While we were outside, the kids joined us and B was also tagging along. I was quite aware of B's presence with Alissa and I am always sure that she returns safely inside the house with B. That evening, after eating pizza that we had delivered to the house, it was past bedtime for the kids and we were ready to lay them down. Only my worst fear was about to be realized. B was missing! So for nearly 2 hours, 4 adults and 3 children searched high and low, leaving no pillow unturned, no drawer or cupboard unopened, no trashcan left un-sifted-through, no toilet unchecked. B was not to be found and each one of us was left dumbfounded as to it's whereabouts. Alissa, as you can imagine laid in bed that night and literally cried herself to sleep. It took several hours.

Even after the kids were in bed, as the adults engaged in conversation and catching up, we could be found occasionally jumping up to "check one more place". The entire weekend went by and we continued to talk in code about the silly blanket as if to pretend that Alissa didn't' know what we were talking about (I'm sure she didn't and I'm sure it wasn't because we were talking in code). I made a valiant effort to find an identical B at the same store the original was purchased at, but was not surprised that 2 1/2 years later, it wasn't there. I was able to find a suitable replacement. And believe it or not, we had success in fooling her into believing it was "B". I finally understood why everyone suggests that if you have a child with an object of affection, you should purchase 2 of the same thing...for instances like this.

The one comment I made during this fiasco was that I was certain that if B ever showed up again, it would be because Alissa happened to find it hiding and then I would never have the gratification of knowing where it was all this time. It's like Murphy's Law!
After a few days, I put B out of my mind. I stopped torturing myself trying to find it, after all the replacement was sufficing and it mattered not where the original was.

The following Saturday afternoon, Eric and I were gathering the kids for nap time. It was a typical Saturday and the naps were coming a tad on the late side so Alissa was curled up in the family room on one of the throws we use on the couch. She was like a little angel all curled up with B. I went to pick her up, but grabbed B first and was SHOCKED to realize that she was laying there with original B. My prediction came true before my eyes. She had stumbled on B somewhere that I had no idea of and I'm quite certain she had no idea that there was even a difference. I was beside myself with frustration. Where on earth had she found it? I pulled the other two kids aside for questioning like it was a police investigation. "Do you know where Alissa was when she discovered B?" They each answered the same, that they had no idea. I joke that they must have all been in on it together just to bug Mom.

No matter what, that's the story of B. Lost and found.