A Pressie from Down Under

Recently Charlie received a very special package -- a stuffed 'roo from C$ and his family in Australia.

"Hmmm... smells good."
"Hmmm... tastes good."
"What's in there?"
"Here, I'll help."
"C'mere, you!"
"What are you? You don't look like a cat..."
Getting the cat "treatment", anyway.
Charlie and Roo.
This is Charlie's first stuffed toy in a long long long time. Not because he doesn't like them (he loved them) -- but because he eats them. As in "down the hatch", "chew, swallow, and repeat"... you get the picture. So I was curious to see his (supervised) reaction, now that he's a few years older.

At first, Charlie didn't seem to know what to do with the toy. He sniffed it cautiously and went to lie elsewhere. With some coaxing he gradually warmed up to it a little, even giving it the kitty 'sniff under the tail' routine. But he still wouldn't play with it.

I went in the bedroom to do some things, (accidently) leaving Charlie unsupervised in the living room with the toy. A few minutes later, I looked over and there it was - on the bed! As I watched, Charlie came back in the room, picked up the 'roo and proceeded to pace the house, carrying it in his mouth.

So now it's not "the toy" or "the 'roo", it's Roo. And Roo now plays a prominent role in "Chase Charlie", replacing the ball that Charlie likes to run with. Charlie still only gets supervised visits. But he often initiates them, going over to the mantel where Roo lives and staring longingly.

Thanks C$, Brooke, Greg, & Opie! For the toy and for helping Charlie show me how much he's grown up.