Lucy...

We've begun packing up the house in preparation for yet another move.  Miranda, while digging through some things in her room, ran across Lucy.  She brought her in to show me with such a fond look...she still loves that ratty cat.

Lucy was Miranda's constant companion from about the age of 3.  It all started with a gift from Nanny, a brown and white Kitty Kitty Kitten.  The one named Dixie above.  These cats had a rattle in their heads that purred, and had a liquid filled body.

One day, Miranda left her kitty out in the driveway, and Tom ran over it in his truck.  Of course the liquid bag inside busted, and it earned the name "flat cat".  She still carried it everywhere.

Sometime later, we went to a Goodwill, and while she was looking at toys she put "flat cat" down.  We didn't realize it until about 30 minutes after leaving the store.  We went back, but the cat was long gone.  Some other lucky child now had "flat cat".

Miranda was heartbroken.  Thankfully, Tom's aunt found another cat for her.  It was the one labeled Sammy above.  Miranda dubbed it "Lucy" and it has been her constant companion over the years.

Lucy and Miranda asleep in the car

Lucy suffered baths, and an operation to remove the liquid filled bladder after it deflated.  As Miranda grew older, Lucy was still important to her.  She went from being carried everywhere, to just being slept with.  Then she moved to a special drawer in her nightstand for safe keeping.  Eventually, during the last move, she was carefully packed away.

It brings a tear to my eye to think of Lucy in a box.  She was such a part of Miranda's life when she was small.  Lucy being "put away" makes me realize that my youngest baby is a baby no more.