Sophie The Giraffe



The original Trinity Fountain in Cambridge, UK

Trinity is teething hardcore. Drool flows from her mouth like a fountain.....haha get it? Trinity Fountain? Sorry I couldn't resist. We'll go there someday. It'll make a nice Christmas card.

Also, I'm the only one who gets to make fun of her name.

Sorry, I totally got off track. Anyway, she chews on everything looking for some relief. Your traditional cold teething ring doesn't really do it for her because, well, it's cold. It makes her hands cold when she stuffs her face with it and she's not a fan. Other than her hands, which must be sore from being chomped on, she prefers to chew on wash cloths, blankets, and clothes. It's weird. I have the weird kid who chews on blankets. But I don't have to. You know what she could use? Sophie the status teether. Every baby who's any baby has a Sophie. Don't know who Sophie is? Check her out:

Sophie is made in the French Alps of 100% natural rubber derived from the sap of a havea tree. (wtf?!) She's hand-painted with edible food-quality paint. Your baby needs one! That's what the website says. And for the small fortune of $25, my baby, like every celebrity baby, could have one. Sophie is super cute, and to top it all off, she squeaks. Wait, what? She squeaks? Like a dog toy? Yes. And that's exactly what I thought she was a few years ago when I happened upon this little giraffe posed with a statue on the steps of the Oregon State Capitol. After thinking, 'Why the hell is a rubber giraffe posed with a marble statue in front of the capitol? How random.' I thought, 'Sweet, Guido will love this!' I took Sophie (Raffie) home to my beloved Italian greyhound, and they have been inseparable ever since.

Sophie is the only toy that is still in one piece after enduring Guido's particularly destructive brand of abuse. He can't get enough of the squeak. Therein lies my problem. How can I have the same toy for both my dog and my baby? There's bound to be some confusion. I refuse to spend that much money on something that's going to eventually end up as a new chew toy for my dog. Somehow, two years before my daughter was even thought of, I unknowingly deprived her of perhaps the only thing that can now bring her comfort. Okay, maybe that's a little dramatic. There's always whiskey.

While all the cool babies get giraffes, I'm stuck with a stupid plush flower! First world problems.