A Tale of Two Froggys...probably three.

Many of you know the saga of "Froggy O'Froggy." Let me recap quickly (not really so quick.) Frog was a gift from my friend Carol to Baby Lilly. Lilly kept Frog with her from the time she was an infant. They were inseparable. When Lilly was able to talk she called him "Regular Froggy" but it sounded just like "Froggy O'Froggy." "Regular Froggy" was by Lilly's side ALL the time. Until she misplaced him for a few days. We found a substitute Frog. This Frog had a crown but was still holding a blanket like "R.F." She called him "Other Froggy." Then we found "R.F." and Lilly decided carrying around two frogs was better than one. She consistently refers to both Frogs as "Other Frog" and "Regular Frog." She corrects us if we say merely "Frog." She is adamant!

Then came the fateful day. "R.F." was lost. For good. Gone. Lilly was beside herself with grief. Really, it was heartbreaking. She asked for him daily. She prayed he'd be returned. Char looked for a replacement on the Internet. We had a painting made of him to provide a little salve to Lilly's wounded heart. It's been months and months since his departure and she still asks for him. "Other Froggy" had become an acceptable substitute. He was finally Lilly's central focus and talk of "R.F." came a little less often. Then we lost "O.T." Oh the sadness that has been our Lilly's lot the past few days. She devolved into a weepy mess, asking for both "R.F." & "O.T." several times a day. Every prayer included a plea for their return. No longer would just "O.T." do, I thought.  I finally did a search on the Internet and found an "R.F." look alike. I snapped him up and he arrived two days later. Today.

I examined him head to toe. He's a tiny bit chubbier but otherwise identical. Would Lilly remember him? She hasn't seen him in many months! Her recollection of him could be slightly altered, I had this in mind when I reintroduced "Froggy O'Froggy."

"Lilly, look who just came back from his trip. He's a special friend of yours." I pulled Frog out from behind my back. Lilly's mouth popped open and she fell back into the ottoman. She looked like she was seeing a ghost. "What? Who is that? I'm not sure who that is?....I don't know that guy."

"Why, it's Froggy O'Froggy, Lil."
"No. I don't think so." She looked a little scared, her voice rising in concern. "That's not "Regular Froggy." WHO is that guy?"
"Well, I think it's Frog? Maybe not. This Frog made his way to our house, looking for you. He wants to be your friend."
 "Mom, he doesn't look anything like Regular Froggy! Regular Froggy has different eyes! That is not Regular Froggy!"

Lilly led me upstairs to show me the painting of Regular Froggy. Her intent was to prove to me how different they are. Instead, when I held up this new Frog to the painting it became clear that she saw they look identical. Her eyes brightened with a slow smile.

 "Well...that might be Froggy....I think he's "Probably Froggy." She quickly reached for him and hugged him close, snuggling him into her neck.  She hasn't let "Probably Froggy" out of her sight. I think "Probably Froggy" may be a temporary name. She's already referred to him as "Regular Froggy" a few times and then she corrects herself..."Probably Froggy." She is happy though. Happy!