Nice is Found!!

Just before Christmas last year while I was out shopping with Liam, we came across a display of Webkinz pets. Liam had been asking for one for a while because EVERYBODY has them don't you know! I didn't really know much about them, and thought they seemed a bit pricey for such a small stuffie (family word for stuffed animals).

Well, Liam didn't want to buy just one that day, he wanted to buy 2: one for him, and an identical one for his 1/2 brother "C", to send as a Christmas present so that they could have the same ones. Now who wouldn't cave to that logic? We left the store with two Little Kinz black bears. "C"'s was wrapped up and sent off with a Christmas parcel and Liam's was named Nice. We adopted Nice on line and thus began our Webkinz addiction (and that is a whole other thread!)

As the first Webkinz, Nice was the leader, the favorite, the go to bear. He often accompanied Liam places and slept in the place of honour: next to Liam's tiger Ralphie on his blue blanket. A very coveted spot indeed!

And then tragedy struck. Nice could not be found! We tore the house apart, retraced steps, called friends and class mates. Nothing. Liam was obviously upset and we know our boy well enough that we could not pass off some sort of "Nice is hibernating" story and then run out and buy a new one. He would know.

Nice has been missing for several months now. Liam would bring him up occasionally, teary eyed but stoic. He would still play with the on-line version, but that would often spark sadness at the loss of the beloved stuffie.

Tonight Liam and Ralphie made plans to sleep outside in the tent. I got the tent set up, complete with a single futon for maximum comfort and then I added Liam's sleeping bag on top. As I was smoothing out the sleeping bag I felt a lump. A soft lump, a BEAR SIZED LUMP! I reached in and sure enough it was Nice! He must have gotten rolled into the sleeping bag the last time Liam slept in his tent up in his room. Liam was ecstatic! Nice didn't get his place of honour next to Ralphie on the blue blanket tonight. He is sleeping clutched in Liam's arms.