Rosita

Meet Rosita. She is a tiny little stuffed puppy, spotted a mile away by Miss Anika while on a layover at SFO, and her overpriced self was purchased after Ani wouldn't stop sniffling and proclaiming, at the top of her lungs, that "I LOVE HER!" and "I want to take her home with me!" When we asked her what its name was, she said, without hesitation, "Rosita."

Heck, at least it's not a real puppy.

Now, she carries that thing everywhere, mostly clinched between her thumb and index finger (Rosita's tummy is already looking a bit like she wears a corset) or wedged under her arm, and refuses to set her down, even when changing into or out of clothes or going to the potty. Rosita comes to play dates and joins us while grocery shopping. Rosita must watch while we are swimming. Rosita must perch on the sink during bath time. Rosita joins us for dinner. Rosita helps Anika with her art projects (lately, she is writing a lot of letters to Santa and talks about how surprised and happy Santa will be when he visits at Christmas and receives his present). Rosita sleeps in the Anika corset or clenched tightly against Anika's chest, and any time she is not within Ani's sight, Anika will wail and whine and proclaim, "but we MUST find Rosita! She is very special to me!"

I'm a bit worried, as Rosita is so small that she is bound to get lost at some point. And I have absolutely no idea how this little puppy became the apple of Anika's eye, but she is a great bargaining chip and blackmail victim when the going gets tough (as it is ought to do, what with a three-year-old in the house) and, since Rosita knows best, often Anika will listen to Rosita when mama's pleas have gone unanswered.

Here are Rosita and Anika modeling Ani's new tutu:

And writing a letter to Santa: