The Coonie

You may wonder why in the world I am blogging about this hideous-looking-used-to-be Raccoon.  He is missing his nose, eyes and I've had to sew his head back on twice.

If you know us at all, you know this gnarly thing is a big part of our lives.  It is Kiehloe's favorite toy and has been for at least 6 or 7 years.  He takes it everywhere with him.  He is always napping with it on the couch.  He grabs it first thing when you walk in the door so you can throw it for him. He takes it to bed at night with him.  I've caught him licking gently a few times like it was his baby.  He takes it on walks, to Grandma's house and when he goes in the car.  If you hold it too long he gets mad and growls at you until you put it down.  If he can't find it, he goes searching and will NOT relax until it is found and safely next to him.  If you notice, in all the pictures we have of Kiehloe the coonie is somewhere in the background.  Its never too far away from him.

We play all sorts of Coonie games.  Throw and fetch the coonie, bury the coonie, stick the coonie in the kids shirts and have them run as fast as they can etc etc.....Again its his favorite toy.  I wash it regularly, so no matter how bad it looks, at least it doesn't smell.

Today as we were leaving, Nathan threw the Coonie for Kiehloe, and it landed here: 

I found this hilarious because it looks like that poor thing is finally trying to make a break for it.  Maybe you had to be there.