Caring for Clifford...too much

As part of her time at "Karmel's Kiddie Korner" Afton got to take a turn to bring Clifford home. The kids each get to take Clifford home for the weekend. During that time they are asked to take pictures of things that they do with Clifford so it can be added to a book that all the kids can look at. As if Afton didn't already have enough joy with her 100+ stuffed animals (or friends as she prefers to call them) at home, she was of course ecstatic to take care of Clifford for a few days. She kept saying over and over, "I don't have to go to school until next week. I get to keep Clifford for a WHOLE WEEK!"

She carried him everywhere she went around the house or outside, took him on every car ride, and slept with him at night and during naps. Afton has started to sound out words and can read simple books, so she loved having Clifford sit and listen as she'd read a book. As she is with most of her new "friends", she took incredible care of that big red dog.

But on Sunday night we told her she needed to get into bed to go to sleep. I don't believe we made any mention of it being school the next day, and I'm quite certain we didn't say that it was time to take Clifford back. But Afton got very teary eyed and said quietly, "I don't want to go to sleep. Because it means when I wake up I'll have to take Clifford back. And I'm not ready to give him up yet." This wasn't a typical "greedy gimme" moment that little children, Afton included, will typically have. It wasn't so much that she wanted to keep Clifford, but rather that she was going to miss him once he was gone. I've never seen someone get so attached to inanimate things. So cute...and sometimes just a little too much. But it is something we've come to appreciate as being so completely Aftie.