Meet Peabody

Since returning from our road trip, we have a new addition to the family:

Internet World, meet Peabody.

We adopted Peabody in Memphis, in case you hadn't already put that together. After marching with the ducks at the Peabody Hotel, Eric and I felt very strongly that Ellie should have a stuffed duck souvenir to take home. Naturally, the gift shop offered myriad options in the stuffed duck department, so we had our work cut out for us. Ultimately, Eric and I narrowed it down to two ducks and left the final decision up to Ellie. We held both up to her to see which one she preferred. As soon as she saw Peabody, her face lit up. She reached right for him and started giving him kisses. I had to pull him from her arms for the cashier to ring him up. Yup, he was definitely the winner. Of course, I aptly dubbed him Peabody after his former home and he hit the road with us.

Ellie and Peabody became fast friends.

For the rest of our road trip, Ellie and Peabody did some serious bonding. They played together...

...spaced out together...

...did some sleepy acrobatics together...

...and exchanged lots of kisses and hugs.

They shared the best of times...

...and the worst of times.

And at the end of our trip, I think both Ellie and Peabody were excited for him to come home with us.

Back at home, Peabody has been hanging out in Ellie's crib. We had been putting him in her Pack 'N Play while we traveled, so I thought she might like him in her crib at home, too. However, with no video monitor to keep an eye on her as she slept (we're old school over here), I wasn't sure if she really cared. After a week or so, I was considering taking him out of the crib and having him join the rest of the stuffed animals in her collection.

But then, I snuck in during nap time and saw this:

And I almost died.

Needless to say, I decided Peabody stays in the crib.

My heart can hardly handle it.

Welcome to the family, Peabody.