Finding Nemo...

BC has never really had a teddy or toy that he’s really, really loved – I mean the kind of toy that you drag around with you everywhere you go until one of his eyes pops out or it loses half its stuffing.

Until now.

About 2 weeks ago, BC watched the film ‘Finding Nemo’ for the first time. I’ve had the video in the cupboard for a while, but I thought it might be a bit scary for him. So a few weeks back when it was raining outside and we had nothing on, we made some popcorn and sat down together to watch the film. And then watch it again. And we’ve since watched it almost once a day (and it probably would be more often if BC had his way!).

He wasn’t at all scared. I thought the opening scene and the shark might throw him, but no. He loved it, everything about it and he still loves it.

Little Bean loves it too. He’s taken to walking around the house chanting ‘Nemo, Nemo, Nemo’ and his other favourite line in the film when Nemo tries to say ‘anemone’ with some difficulty.

Last week I was trawling through an op shop (as I am very prone to do when I have a few spare minutes ) and I found a very small plastic Nemo toy – the sort you would play with in the bath.

It cost 50c.

And has become BC’s most PRIZED possession.

Nemo has come everywhere with us since I gave him to BC. He stayed in his pocket while he went horseriding. He sat next to him at his early intervention group therapy session. He went to kindergarten (although I did manage to convince BC to keep him in his bag in case he somehow got lost in the chaos…). He sits on the table when BC is eating (and occasionally of course gets ‘fed’) and naturally, he sleeps next to BC every night.

Except for last night.

Nemo was missing.

There were promises of his favourite chocolate biscuits, promises of watching the film (a very, very special treat at night) and even promises to buy a new Nemo in the morning (although I had no idea where I’d find another at short notice).

But no. Nothing would stop the flow of tears or the wails of  ‘I want my Nemo’.

So mum, dad and Aunty J spent most of the night finding Nemo.

It didn’t help that BC was a bit sick. He’s had a cold for the last few days so he was already feeling a bit miserable and vulnerable (he’s a super grump when he’s not well).

I knew that he was in the house because BC had stayed home all day – which means so did Nemo.

We searched everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE. We retraced BC’s steps around the house, all the places he’d played, looking in all the games boxes and toy shelves. But no. Finding Nemo was proving to be as tricky for us as it was for his dad in the film.

Finally though, a breakthrough. At the last hour (it was nearly 9pm and BC still wasn’t sleeping – apparently that was impossible without Nemo!), I remembered that BC has come into the laundy earlier in the day to help me with the washing. He really enjoys putting clothes in the machine, then the powder and then pressing the buttons to start the load.

But silly me, I had forgotten that he’d been in the laundy today.

So into the laundy I went. I searched in the machine, in the laundry basket, even in the freezer (you never know!). And then at the last minute I checked in the recycling box and there, between a plastic juice bottle and a cornflakes box was Nemo, smiling up at me, clearly very happy to be found.

Calm was restored to the house and we were all able to get some sleep.

And yes, I will be on the lookout today for an ‘emergency’ replacement Nemo, just in case he goes missing again!

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