lovey that won't survive toddlerhood

[CassnBeth]

DD suddenly attached herself to a lovey about a month ago (the same day she suddenly became afraid of the dark -- it's fascinating watching their little brains develop) and it would not have been my first choice for the position. It is one of those soft bears who seem to have melted into a puddle of blanket? But this is a cheap, unwashable Gerber one that I know will not survive childhood (it is already fraying) and I can't find another one of these anywhere! DD adores her "Bear" and carries him all over the house with her so I don't think she is going to suddenly lose interest.

Should I try to bolster her beloved Bear with new binding? Try and get her on to another item entirely? Find a close approximation of Bear and pray she accepts it? What have other people done about this?

[cyclamen]

No advice, just a few anecdotes for you.  A good friend of mine became attached to a squash when he was a toddler.  The squash was his lovey and he carried it everywhere... until it rotted, and his parents had to throw it away.

I myself had a series of loveys.  Every time one got destroyed, I'd just find a new one.  This drove my mom crazy, as I had one until I was probably 10 years old.

DD was IN LOVE with her baby for a few months.  It went everywhere with her and if we went to bed or left the house, it was, "Baby?  Baby?"  But now, though she has it most nights, there's no meltdown if we can't find baby.  We just tell her, "Baby bye bye" and she's like, "Ok."

[Aufilia]

I would try to repair it but also bring in a backup bear and see if she might go for it.  I mean, no reason not to try all avenues, right? 

FWIW, though, my daughter fell in love with a small stuffed duck at about 15 months.  I'd gotten it at an after-easter sale for $2 and there were no more ducks anywhere in the world like her duck. We've tried lots of other ducks with no luck.  This one wasn't even supposed to be washed and I was sure it would fall to pieces the first time I had to put it in the washer.  But no.  She'd been dragging it around for 4 straight years and it's still hanging in there.  I'm not sure she'll ever give it up voluntarily.