Introducing BabyHenry...

babyhenry
Originally uploaded by lla.

And before you ask, yep - he's finished. Or as finished as he is going to be. Allow me to explain...

I finished the body, and Schecky was smitten immediately. At this point, Henry looked something like the brown, sweater-wearing love child of Mr. Peanut and a bowling pin. With a really oversized head.
Honestly, I am not sure if I did something wrong, or if his head is supposed to be so melon-like.

Scheck announced that he loved him, he was perfect, and could he sleep with him? I replied that of course he could sleep with him, but that I would need Henry back because he needed his arms and legs.

Scheck: No.

Me: What do you mean "No?"

Scheck: No. No arms and legs. NO!

Me: Don't you take that tone with me, young man!
Oh. My. God. I did NOT just say that. At what point did I turn into someone's cranky little grandmother???

Scheck: Sorry, Mommy.
Scheck: Please don't make him have arms and legs! Please, please, please, please????

Me: Potpie*, Henry needs arms and legs. He's a bear. He looks kind of....stumpy without them.

Scheck: But I love him! I love him just the way he is! PLEASE?????

Me: Don't you think he'll be sad that he doesn't have arms and legs?

Scheck: No - because he's a baby.

Me: Ummmm - OK. < long pause > You do know that real babies have arms and legs, right?

I started to insist on making the arms and legs. And then, in the nick of time, I caught myself. I thought:
Lighten up, Frances and stop being such a control freak. You told Scheck you'd make him a bear, and since he doesn't want arms and legs - don't make arms and legs. Is that really so difficult???

Duh. Sometimes I just have to give myself a good reality check. Scheck loves him and that's the most important thing, right? And Scheck did allow me to make the ears, because how are you supposed to know it's a bear if it doesn't have ears.

So I will just embrace Baby Henry as is.

Even though he looks like a Thalidomide baby. A Hydroencephalitic Thalidomide baby.

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*Scheck's other name, besides Schecky.

Henry's pattern is a Jess Hutch design.