Susan Faye

A sweet old teddy bear by the name of Mr. Smokey is the proud keeper of an outfit I cannot part with: a little crocheted baby outfit in buttery yellow that I made 28 years ago for my unborn child. When I was pregnant, I almost lost my baby at the six-month mark and was confined to bed for two months. Laboring over this detailed little outfit with a complicated cable stitch was one of the ways I passed the time and openly defied my unspoken fears. I know it’s a classic Mom cliche, but the day Chris was born was truly the happiest day of my life. And as babies do, he grew far too fast and could only wear the outfit for about two months. So for the past 27 years the hat and sweater have been proudly worn by my childhood teddy bear, the 54-year-old Mr. Smokey (the booties are safely tucked away, as Mr. Smokey does not like things that make his feet hot– Chris never wore them either!). My hope is that should I ever have a grandchild, Mr. Smokey and his fancy duds will be passed along with all of the love wrapped up in their stories.

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