Dear Cheetah

Dear Cheetah,

I don't think that I've taken the time to properly thank you for all that you do. You are my little boy's best friend, and for that, I could never fully express my gratitude. Who else wouldn't mind being strangled during long car trips? Who else would watch Owen go potty, take a bath, and brush his teeth with such an attentive nature? Who else could I count on to be there for him through vomit and the subsequent trips through the washer and dryer?

The answer is no one.

Owen loves you with all that he is, and because of you, he loves all things cheetah. His current favorite color is orange, the color of your fur. He also knows all of your favorites. According to Owen, your favorite color is yellow and your favorite things to play with are "toodles". He acquired a cheetah blanket this Christmas which he found and fell in love with because of you, and his little eyes are so sincere when he tells me how beautiful I'd be in the cheetah print dress that he spotted (no pun intended) in the junior's section of JC Penney.

Cheetah, I have to tell you, I love that Owen loves you. I love that he shares his snacks with you, plays games with you, reads to you, and worries about your feelings. He shows true empathy when he's concerned about your well-being. He calls you his baby, and he has even tried his hand at breastfeeding you :) I hope that you realize how much you're loved.

I worry about the day that Owen will outgrow you. The day that he'll decide that he's too big to sleep with a stuffed cheetah will break my heart. I know that you'll just roll with the punches. Perhaps you'll even enjoy your retirement- and not having to take any more trips through the washer and dryer. But that day will change my life. I'll always think of you fondly, and I'll always appreciate all that you were to my little boy, but I'll miss the days that he was little enough to snuggle you in his arms.

But for today, you are Owen's best friend, and for that, I thank you.

Sincerely,

Owen's Mommy