Amagarumi

For those of you who don't know, Amagarumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and anthropomorphic creatures.  In other words, it is using some mad skillz to craft these itsy-witzy fuzzy-wuzzy cutie wittle flufalumps that make you wish you were 3 again and could carry them around in your 'purse' (which is actually a left-over McDonald's Happy Meal box) everywhere you go.

Thankfully for me, I have an uber-talented friend, Carrie, who has the patience and talent to make these crazy-amazing little suckers, and I have a daughter who I can let play with them (until she goes to bed. Then they're mine... all MINE!), so my cover is not blown.  Except for having to explain all the empty Happy Meal boxes in my closet....

Anyway... Long story short, Carrie is how we came to be acquainted with our new little buddy, Sammy the Baby Seal.

Sammy is a sweet little baby seal, complete with festive Winter scarf, who became Hayden's new friend a few weeks ago.    I am equally enamored with his sweet little self, but really, how could you not be?  Just look at this little fella!

He's watching for signs of snow...

That's the one thing this little bugger and I disagree on.  He'd love Winter year round, but I'm ready for SPRING!

Other than that, we get along fine, and Hayden doesn't even hold that against him (although judging from her response to the park this past weekend on the warm Sunday afternoon we were blessed with, it could become a sticking point in their relationship).