oh where oh where can this little bear be

The loss of a favourite toy can be devastating to a child. Especially if said child has slept with, traveled with, talked to, hugged and kissed the toy every day of her life since birth. It can be even more devastating to the parents, who first feel terrible that their child feels such pain. And then they feel even worse when they realise that their child needs - absolutely, unequivocally needs - the favourite toy to sleep. This is the stuff of nightmares, people.

We have some good friends - C&D - who are currently going through this dilemma. Their almost-two-year old daughter, full of the same spitfire and energy that befalls Alice, recently lost her favourite bear. Bear fell out of the stroller (they think) somewhere on the streets of Woodstock, Ontario, and now the child is bereft with grief. She won't sleep without it and is driving her poor parents to distraction (and, more possibly, hard liquor). They have tried to locate a similar bear (as in - hey look! Bear grew up!), but, as luck would have it, this particular bear was purchased in Denmark a few years ago and is virtually untraceable.

So my poor friend has asked me to post this picture of Bear here, to see if anyone has seen a bear that looks like this anywhere in the world. Teddy bears are a dime a dozen, I know, but if you knew this child and her penchant for screaming...well, you would want these parents to have one small break. Please. For the love of Bear. Let me know if you have seen a teddy bear like this before.

Won't you help a mama get some sleep?