handle with care

Happy Birthday Will! I am sending you the best present in the world!

My mom told me you wanted a Baby Bear a long time ago and we’ve been searching for one ever since. Because will be your best friend ever, he must be a certain sort of bear. He has to be small and floppy, he he must have a kind face and black eyes. After months of searching we finally found him at Anthropologie of all places. Baby Bear HATES tag on his bottom so I took his off for you.

I’ve been telling your new bear all about you, showing him pictures and I’ve promised him you are very nice. My Baby Bear has been teaching him all about how to be a good bear and we are pretty sure he’s ready to be sent to your house (but he is kind of scared of going through the mail in a box so be sure to give him a hundred hugs and kisses when he arrives).

Speaking of hugs and kisses, that’s what keeps Baby Bears alive. Your bear will need at least 500 hugs a day and 200 kisses. These are the things he likes to do:

1. Baby Bear is not afraid of heights. He loves to Skydive out of windows and loves to be tossed up and down. But only by you, he doesn’t want just anybody to throw him around. Remember, he doesn’t like to be used as a ball in crazy games. He’s a bear, not a ball!

2. He’s very shy. He’s happy to spend most of his time in your room. Target and the zoo might be fun for you, but Baby Bear is afraid of getting lost. He never ever ever wants to go to Disneyland. Really, the only vacation he likes is coming to my house.

3. Once in a while, Baby Bear will need a bath. Don’t worry about him, he thinks it’s fun. In fact, my Baby Bear has been asking for a bath ever since seeing your new, clean bear.

4. Baby Bear needs to sleep on your bed every night and he must have his pillow and blankie. I had my mom make one for you so your Baby Bear would be happy. He likes to have his head right next to yours and your mom will have to kiss him goodnight or he’ll cry.

5. You’ll notice Baby Bear is not like other bears. He doesn’t like to growl and he’s afraid of his own roar. He likes to read books with you but he covers his eyes during the scary parts.

6. When you need to practice the piano, Baby Bear will listen the whole time and clap for you when you do really well (unlike sisters who stick out their tongue).

7. One of these days, Baby Bear will get ripped or torn; he might even lose a leg or an arm. Don’t panic– this happens to every bear and he can be easily fixed. I know it’s sad, but he’ll be OK.

8. Legos are Baby Bear’s favorite toy. He’ll sit for hours and just watch you play and build. But remember, Baby Bear likes a clean room and he’ll be grumpy if your room is a big mess because then he can’t walk around without hurting his little feet.

9. Even though he’s kind of a scaredy-bear, Baby Bear is a good guard. He will check your closets every day for monsters and scare them away with his tiny roar.

I hope you love your new bear. Treat him well and he will be your best friend. Be sure to bring him to my house to visit one day.

Love, Gabe

Happily, we received a text early on the morning of Will’s birthday– he was on hug and kiss number 87. Later, the bears chatted on the phone (I don’t know if you want to see their tickle fights on Skype).