24 Hours With Reggie

It was Sam's first sleepover -- sort of.  

Yesterday we got to bring Reggie home with us from school!  And you ask, "Who the heck is Reggie?," right?  He is Sam's class teddy bear at preschool.  So here's the scoop on Reg - you get to take him home overnight for one night and go on lots of outdoor adventures, take pictures, and then write up your exploits in the accompanying Reggie notebook.  Then at school Ms. Jennifer reads aloud to the class what you have written in the Notebook and shows the pictures to the kids.  Sam was downright pumped to bring him home!  I must admit -- I was excited, too, and wanted to make sure Reggie got his full nature fix.  We weren't going to hang at the mall or play video games, that's for sure!

First Sam and Reggie opened up Sam's Easter eggs from the egg hunt at school.  Then we had a picnic outside and Sam "fed" Reggie some pineapple.  Next he and Reg got into the bike trailer and were ready to rock and roll when a dear friend called to fill me in on funeral arrangements for her father this weekend.  (Some things are even more important than Reggie, believe it or not.)  Soon we were off with Reggie's fur blowin' in the wind!  

Once we got to Wishing Well Park, Sam gave Reggie the grand tour and sent him flying down the slide -- backwards!  That Reg is one brave bear, especially when he went down the fire pole solo in the pirate ship.  Then Sam-n-Reg rode in the tire, climbed to the top of the rock climbing wall, and then we went on a nature walk, collecting a pine cone, a holly leaf, tall grass, a stick, and some pine needles.  And we were back by 3 PM!  Sam and Reggie WANTED to go to bed at about 5:25 PM, a big huge first!  We welcome Reggie Bear to come back anytime and stay with us for a week at least!  In fact I would consider paying him to come stay for an extended period, perhaps in the form of fresh salmon.

At the ripe old hour of 6 AM,  Sam was all excited to take Reggie out in the pitch dark.  He wanted to teach him some spelunking with his awesome coal miner's hat from Science Museum!  (Please see my previous entry entitled "Discovering the Science Museum.")  Thankfully the ever patient Daddy Mac signed up for that early outdoor duty.  Escorted by Daddy Mac, they spelunked their way on out to the end of the driveway and found the newspaper all by themselves!  That hat really works - they didn't even need a flashlight!  Then Reggie got a chance to sport the cool hat himself!

Now Sam and Reggie are kicking back, watching a little Bob the Builder.  (Bob builds out in nature, right?)  Daddy Mac and I are kicking back, too, trying to wake up.  Soon it will be time to bring Reggie back to school in one piece, which I must admit a bit of a relief.  This first sleepover has been a blast but downright exhausting for the parents.  Imagine what it will be like when Sam's sleepover buddies are actually alive! 

LibbY