Recall reading 'Knuffle Bunny Free'?

And now for the last installment about the suite of Knuffle Bunny books we read together in early 2012: "Knuffle Bunny Free." In this book, Trixie and her parents travel to Holland to visit Oma and Opa - except Trixie leaves Knuffle Bunny on the plane. Trixie learns to live without Knuffle Bunny ... then when she returns home, she finds him on the plane. In an act of altruism, she gives Knuffle Bunny to a crying baby.

There are some great pictures in the book. Among my favorite is Trixie sticking out her tongue after she tries Opa's coffee at the cafe. There's also a great line in which the baby to whom Trixie gives Knuffle Bunny says "Aggle Plaggie?" when she first offers him her stuffie.

It's a tearjerker book, really. The epilogue shows Trixie growing up and receiving Knuffle Bunny in the mail for her own toddler. I can't express enough to you the mix of deep, powerful emotions a parent feels watching their child grow up, and I certainly miss every minute we're apart in which I do not see you mature and learn about the world. When you're a parent yourself on day, I'm certain you'll understand.

Recall reading 'Knuffle Bunny Too'?

After reading the previous entry about enjoying "Knuffle Bunny" together, you're probably saying, "Hey, what about the other books in the series?" There were indeed two more books. The second one was "Knuffle Bunny Too."

Trixie is now older and in pre-K. Upon bringing Knuffle Bunny to school, though, she finds that a classmate, Sonja, ALSO has a Knuffle Bunny. When Trixie and Sonja fight all morning about their bunnies, the teacher takes the stuffies away. She gives them back at the end of the school day, but the bunnnies are switched - something Trixie doesn't realize until the middle of the night.

I always liked the section near the beginning when Trixie lists who she's going to show Knuffle Bunny to when she gets to pre-K. My name, Jane's name (who I was going out with when you and I first read the book), and the names of your two cousins (Rebecca and Brian, though your cousins spell their names differently) are among those Trixie lists! You always liked that Trixie had to play escape the Mommy and Daddy robots from planet Snurp!

Tomorrow: "Knuffle Bunny Free"

Remember 'Knuffle Bunny' book?

One of the last books we enjoyed together before your mother took you away was the "Knuffle Bunny" series by Mo Willems. We read it when I'd moved from Encinitas to Lancaster (into "Drew Breezes'" house). You loved the book so much that you had me read it over and over to you.

You even memorized some of the lines, and we'd play act them out when together:
YOU: "Aggle flaggle klabble!"
ME: "That's right, we're going home."
YOU: Aggle flaggle klabble!! Blaggle plabble! Wumpy flappy?! Snurp."
ME: "Now don't get fussy."
YOU: Waaaa!
And we'd both laugh.

The book was a lot of fun for me in some ways you might not realize. It shows Trixie playing with the clothes at the laundromat and her daddy picking her up so she can put money in the washers. That's just like what we did when you were oneyear-old and we lived in an apartment with a laundry room.

Recall playing Hungry Hungry Hippos?

One of the games you most enjoyed playing as a preschooler with me was Hungry Hungry Hippos. I'm certain you remember it: Players could shoot out a marble (or more) and then had to try to capture it by "eating" it with a hippo.

You always like to change which color hippo you played with each round. I never put the stickers on the gameboard as the picture at right shows, but otherwise it's exactly what our game looked like.

I always loved playing games with you - not only were you good at them so I didn't have to worry about "throwing" them to give you a handicap (You'll understand the need to do this when you're a daddy.) - but I didn't really have many games to play when I was growing up, especially when your age. I had no siblings until I was 4-1/2, so he wasn't old enough to play games until I was in third grade or so. My mother wasn't a game player either; competition wasn't her thing. So playing games with you was like getting to be a kid all over again!

The game did make lots of racket as those springs for the hippo mouths and the chomping of their jaws were quite loud, so sometimes I had to say "No more!" - especially when I started getting a headache!

Yes, you're in yet another article!

Yep, your picture is in yet another article: This time Seattle Backpackers Magazine ran my article “How to Select a Good Trail for a Child” in its Tuesday edition.

The article examines factors to consider – such as length, elevation gains and dangers – when identifying a trail to day hike with kids (All lessons I learned from hiking with you!). It contains a picture of you playing with your cowboy rifle at the Mormon Rocks near Victorville, Calif., I think from late 2011 (There's a photo album of it on Facbeook) plus another pic of the trail we walked.

Seattle Backpackers Magazine is a popular and well-respected online magazine focusing on backpacking, hiking, climbing and camping. Your picture has been in it a couple of times before when my articles ran in it!

What’s your favorite color?

More than three months have now passed since your mother has let me see or speak with you. I find myself wondering how you've changed during that time - Are you taller? Have you lost your first tooth? What new books have you read? What is your favorite color?

When you were a toddler and during most of your preschool years, green was your favorite color. I'm not certain why. Perhaps since we lived in the desert, green was a rare color and so the novelty excited you or the prettiness of some places we visited where green was omnipresent (like the mountains or ocean coast) left an impression. But if given a choice of clothing, Matchbox cars or some other item, you inevitably picked the green one!

Once you turned four and started attending preschool, blue because your favorite color. Again, not certain why, though I'd agree with your taste for blue is my favorite color, too! And perhaps not as much with green, if given a choice of clothing or toy, you inevitably picked the blue one!

What is your favorite today?

Song lyrics from when you were a baby

Kieran, Halloween 2007, in Eureka, Calif.

Some song lyrics for you today - a song that was quite popular when you were a baby. I always think of you whenever I hear it, especially when you'd crawl in my lap and face me while we lived in Eureka, Calif., where lots of rain fell.

"Bubbly"
(Colbie Caillat)

I've been awake for a while now
You've got me feelin' like a child now
'Cause every time I see your bubbly face
I get the tingles in a silly place

[Chorus:]
And it starts in my toes
And I crinkle my nose
Wherever it goes
I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Wherever you go

The rain is falling on my window pane
But we are hiding in a safer place
Under covers staying safe and warm
You give me feelings that I adore

[Chorus]

But what am I gonna say
When you make me feel this way
I just mmmmm

And they start in my toes
Makes me crinkle my nose
Wherever it goes
I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Wherever you go

I've been asleep for a while now
You tuck me in just like a child now
'Cause every time you hold me in your arms
I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth

And it starts in my soul
And I lose all control
When you kiss my nose
The feeling shows
'Cause you make me smile baby
Just take your time now
Holdin' me tight

Wherever wherever wherever you go
Wherever wherever wherever you go

Wherever you go
I always know
'Cause you make me smile
Even just for a while