I’m not gonna lie–I’m pretty sad about this post. Probably sadder than I should be.
Last Monday, the kids and I were at the Minnesota Zoo. Somewhere between the bathroom and the Minnesota Trail, Anja lost Sherman. I didn’t notice it until quite a bit later, unfortunately. I’d been taking quite a few photos, so I just tracked back through them to find the last photo where he was pictured. We retraced our steps. No sign of him. We asked several people working in the area if anyone had turned him in. No Sherman. We left a description (even a little sketch) and our contact info at the Guest Services desk in case he turned up. I have called there four times in the past week to check. No Sherman.
He had been left at a small group member’s house for two weeks just prior to the incident, so Anja had already been “weaned” of him a little bit, so she isn’t too broken up about it. However, Husband and I aren’t so easily detached. We both experienced moments of stress (even a dream) about him in the days following his disappearance. I still get a little heart-sick when I think of him in a dumpster, covered with garbage, or in the hands of another toddler who won’t understand how special he is. He was the all-time favorite, go-with-me-everywhere, has-his-own-personality toy to Anja. I had planned on writing a book about him for her 4th birthday, which now may not even have any significance to her.
Sherman, wherever you are, we sure hope you are still being loved. We will miss you.
Minnesota Mom 
OH NO! Not Sherman! 😥
I know, I’m so sad too!! The kids in my classroom are sad. I can’t stand the thought of him being lost somewhere, alone and unloved:( My stuffed animals were always very real to me growing up, so I get this.
I really still hope he turns up. I will greatly miss Sherman.
This makes me tear up a little bit. I hope he is found…or at least is with someone who loves him.
Oh so sad – that happened with Aflac, Kate’s little pink duck, too. I searched for months for that duck. Finally we accepted it must have fallen out of the car at a rest stop on an out of state trip, because we searched everywhere. It must have fallen and bounced off the front of my shoe so it rolled just enough under the car to be out of sight to us.
I found an identical duck a YEAR later, but by then, Kate had no memory of the duck and didn’t care, so I didn’t buy it. 😦
I know you said she might be over it, and the last thing parents want is an army of comfort objects accompining our children, but maybe it would be fun to go to Build A Bear and you could put an I Love You message in the bear from you and hubbs to her 🙂
I still could cry every time I think about him being gone/lost. Don’t people know if they found him how important he could be to someone else and want to turn him in.
Oh NO! That is sad!!! Maybe you can find a Sherman lookalike???? Or start a new story. 😦
Sniffle! How on earth did I miss this post?!
So sorry, all. I really enjoyed your Sherman photos.
How sad! I will miss seeing pictures of Sherman on a regular basis. Thanks to your handy camera skills, I think we are all a little attatched to him… 😦