To be sitting crying because we managed to leave DS1's beloved Teddy behind on holiday. And furious at Dh for not checking.

[SayMyNameSayIt]

Sorry if this sounds really stupid. DS1 has had Teddy since he was a baby, he's 6 and a half now. Teddy is so thin and threadbare now but DS1 loves him so much and would sleep with Teddy across his nose, inhaling him.

We were staying at a villa, I was packing all our stuff. Asked DH to pack food etc from the kitchen, and check the rooms. Got to the airport and suddenly I realised I wasn't sure if Teddy had been packed. Cue a big row and Dh getting all annoyed at being asked if he'd packed him or seen him.

I texted the villa rep who went straight there and asked the maids to check if Teddy had been caught up in the sheets etc, which I strongly suspected.

Rep has got back to me saying they've checked and he was back at the villa today to close it for the season and no sign. DS1 is trying to be all tough and pretend he's not that bothered. But I know he is, he said, teddy and I have been together for so long.

I know it's totally irrational and stupid but I'm actually sitting crying. He has loads of teddies and cuddly toys, but Teddy was special. I envisaged keeping him myself when ds1 was all grown up. I feel awful for him that I, myself, didn't think to check before we left.

Teddy wasn't glued to ds1's side, not by any means. Well, not for a long time anyway. Yes, ds1 could have thought to get him himself. I suppose I'm crying for the loss of that wee boy with his teddy as well.

I could get another the same, and ds2 has the same one. But ds1 said he would want him to be the same, which would take years. Think The Velveteen Rabbit.

I very very rarely post a thread, please don't shoot me down in flames. I'm honestly so upset, not a wind up. ( I think I'm just posting to vent, Dh is watching the footy and I doubt he'd understand how I feel anyway. )

I sold a teddy at a car boot and their son thought it was the same teddy they lost on holiday- there's hope for you yet

So sad :-( Really hope he shows up :-( I shall be watching this thread so keep us updated. Poor ted.

SueDoku

Definitely next day service!!!
Right, I'm feeling a bit more hopeful!!! Will swing into action tomorrow!! I'm CERTAIN that teddy was in the bed, I KNOW I emptied all the bedrooms and I only asked dH to double check.

So I'm sure he must still be at the laundry. He couldn't have been dropped en route. The maids were there cleaning while we were outside. Last year's rep, A, had organised to let us stay later as flight home was in the evening.

So if they'd seen him while they were stripping the beds, or had dropped him, then they knew there were two wee boys there who he probably belonged to

Plus I had helped them earlier that week when they came into clean I like cleaning and I can also speak a reasonable amount of Spanish, was chatting to them. So hopefully, they will remember us as a nice family and we didn't leave the place in a state. We were outside anyway as they started cleaning!

Maybe it's a good thing that it's the end of the season there, a very very quiet residential area, so possibly not a high turnover of laundry just now.

I'd gladly pay quite a lot of money to get teddy back. I've always said to DS1 that if teddy ever fell in a fire, I'd have to put my hand in to get him. I honestly think I would.

melodramatic as well as sentimental

I totally understand. DD lost her teddy on a beach. Well no, she actually didn't - we were careless in leaving it at the top of a bag. She was absolutely devastated. Sobbing her heart out. We turned around and went back to the beach and that awful feeling of just knowing you're not going to find him. We searched this huge beach for ages until it started t get dark. Then we drove home in silence with her just sobbing all the way. She woke up several times in the night - just really upset.

The next day i took her to school and was crying myself. I can't really explain why. Just that this little bear held so much of our history and our games and was her best friend in the world.

Whilst she was at school I emailed the local beach shops on the off chance someone might have handed him in.

And this incredibly nice lady at first told me no. But then emailed back later in the day to say he was sat on the counter at the cafe. I cried when she told me. She held onto him for the week and we drove the 3 hours back the following weekend to collect him.

He's in bed with dd now. But I really do understand. It's so silly but they are almost a part of the family. Could you put a letter in the post, just in case the next person at the villa finds him. I think it's worth a try. I had called the cafe where he was found and they didn't want to know. It was a lady from the neighbouring shop who went in and claimed him for me.

YANBU, I would be so upset if my DS lost his comforters. .he has 2 because one was bought as a spare in case the original ever got lost however he now has to have both. . One for each hand!

They are manky, he chews them & they stink, in fact I washed the this afternoon however they are in bed with him, still damp from the washing machine, because he can't sleep without them.

I feel so sad for you & your DS...but at least Teddy is in a lovely holiday resort, think of him retired to the sun

YANBU. Dd1 lost 'Mr Puppet' in Tenerife two years ago - she was 8 at the time.

I still well up when I see him in photographs. He is completely irreplaceable (was a free promotional gift with a box of nappies once). The only other one we ever found was used for prosthetics for the original.

Dd2 is now 8 and still has her beloved bunny and I feel horrible that dd1 doesn't have anything similar .

foxyroxy
We were in Menorca. Thank you.

havatry
I'm so glad you got your teddy back, that's an amazing story. Gives me hope!!

We didn't rent a car. I'm 99% certain that teddy didn't leave ds1's room, he's really just for night time now or if unwell etc

An definitely going to try lots of these suggestions. I'm determined to get teddy back! He IS like a real person and although DS 1 is reasonably ok about it just now, I could see wee tears in his eyes earlier.

Whoever said MNers were a hard bunch!!!! I've seen so many similar stories and emotions here on this thread! Tough? No. Very kind and caring? YES.

I can understand the sentiment behind the bear and the meaning for you, but I think you are being UR blaming your DH. Your ds is old enough to remember it himself.

YAsoNBU! I bought a spare teddy bear for DS after reading a thread on hear about a toy lost on holiday in Blackpool, just in case his bear ever got lost too. I forgot to take into account the 3 years that original bear has spend in bed with DS, the times he's been through the washing machine and all the cuddles he's had. The new bear looks nothing like the threadbare original, he's plush and lovely. Old bear has never got lost yet but new bear came out to cover him when he was in the washing machine after a bout of D&V, (DS not the teddy) he is called original bears uncle now and is on hand for any washing emergencies. So, I am still not covered if original bear gets lost, we'll all be bereft but at least uncle bear will soften the blow a bit. Soft touch, me?

I found a beautiful bear in mum and dads wardrobe when I was very little which they told me was for my aunties Christmas present. When I ended up getting it for Christmas I felt so guilty that my auntie had missed out on her present that I never bonded with that bear, I think that's why I wanted my dc to have special bears themselves. What a weirdo!

I really hope you and DS get teddy back soon. I would be devastated!

canthisobebeused

Yes of course you're right. ( I hope I don't sound rude, I tried to explain earlier about why I was annoyed with Dh. And why ds1 hadn't remembered him, himself. Sincerely not meaning to sound cheeky or rude).

Cos I do agree with you!!! Was just a bit overwhelmed earlier.

I've had a couple of duty free vodkas to ease the pain, so is better go to bed before I get settled for the night!!!!

Thank you all so much, again. I'll update tomorrow when I can. I won't just disappear!!! I'm very grateful and very touched by all your replies, I can feel myself welling up again. (And it's honestly not the vodka).

Worst case scenario is that ds2 will share his , cos his is the same and he's " teddy's brother". Ds2 is very thoughtful and caring and teddy's brother has similar smells. So all is not totally lost!!!

Goodnight, and thank you MNers.

Oh no, YANBU at all. I would be a wreck if we lost Star (DD's beloved panda) or Gordon (DS's stripy dog).

I still have my childhood bear, which was my dad's before me, when he was a little boy.

I sincerely hope you get it back somehow.

I really hope Teddy returns home safely again. We once drove over 100 miles back to retrieve our son's teddy that was left at a hotel. He was there waiting for us and someone had even taken the time to write a note for Teddy explaining his adventures to our son. The world is full of kind people. My fingers are crossed for you.

I've just emailed the villa company explaining and asking if they could check the laundry again.

(Am seriously thinking of offering a reward!!!!! Might motivate someone to look closer?? I'll keep that up my sleeve just now. )

I'll update when I hear anything. Thank you very sincerely for all the replies.

might be somewhere in the house but not in the laundry (under the bed). Hope it gets found.

may this be the worst thing that ever happens to you.

Not under the bed, unfortunately.

specialsubject

It's certainly not the worst, we have had more than our fill of nasty, unpleasant, stressful situations to deal with. No, in the scheme of things, it's not important at all. However, it is important to my wee boy. And therefore to me. ( and I'm not trying to be cheeky here, I understand exactly what you mean. )

I know how you feel. And about dh's doing the packing.

When I was pregnant with dd2 and very sick we stayed at Butlins, and for the first (and last) time dh did most of the packing and I didn't do a final check round (too busy being sick).
When we got home we had lost:
Dd1's special toy,
1 of his shoes (this was 10 years ago now and I've just found the other half still in his cupboard )
1 towel (hanging on the door)
Our potato peeler (theirs is always hopeless)
A jumper of mine (probably left in the wardrobe)
Dd1's coat (probably on the coat rack next to his )

We never got any of this back.
However this doesn't stop him from moaning when I go to do a thorough check every time we leave. I almost always find something after he's packed.
I'll also add that the last time I left checking the house was secure before we left for holiday, we came back to find he'd left the back door open. Not just unlocked, actually open. He's really not much good at that sort of thing.

I always make sure any special toy is in my personal bag with money/keys etc and has no chance of being left behind now.

Hope he comes back soon.

DeWe

I had to laugh at your Dh leaving the door open!!!!!!

To be fair, my DH is really quite sensible and does check things. I normally pack as I would think to bring things like you do eg a potato peeler. Dh wouldn't think of that. I'm
just annoyed that it didn't enter my head to check for teddy.

I was packing the " bedrooms", I asked Dh to do the kitchen. Am increasingly more annoyed at myself now.

Poor you, poor DS, poor teddy. I know (we have talked about it) my DD would rescue her teddy before anything else in a fire. I cannot imagine what life would be like if we lost Teddy... Hope you get yours back.

My DS 6 is the same right down to the Teddy across his nose, inhaling him ours has a blue night cap which DS has over his nose. We have a duplicate (from ebay) in case he is misplaced but it looks so new we would need to rough him up to pass him off as Teddy.

Good luck, I hope he turns up and I suspect a small reward could be the incentive needed.

Love the piggy story!

YANBU. DD1 has a teddy shes had since she was 6 months and won't sleep anywhere without him. She would be heartbroken if we lost teddy (shes nearly 7)

DD2 is a bit eccentric at the best of times and latched on to one of her dads tshirts and won't give that up (god help us if we wash 'ishi' as the world ends)

DD2 even knows when its not that specific tshirt but another the same by rubbing it against her face or sniffing it delightfully. And soon lets me know when its not hers.

Reward of 20 euros???? Would that be enough, do you think? Skint after our holiday though I did win £20 in a work thingy, which I could use.

Loving all the teddy/comforter stories!