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Little bear has a favourite teddy. Well, a panda, called (so originally) Pandy. When I was pregnant I had a lot of trouble walking, and the only mobile I could get delivered was one with a panda face on, and it has all sort of escalated from there.

Pandy is from IKEA and is brilliant - it washes, it washes again and just keeps on going. It has eyes and nose sewn on, and is very durable and cuddly. I would recommend IKEA soft toys to anyone, and they are remarkably inexpensive.

When we realised that Pandy was a big success we returned to IKEA to get a substitute so that Pandy could be washed, while still being on duty. They had stopped doing them! This was not good! So I went on ebay (my friend) and we managed to obtain a total of four pandas, one of which has been run over, several have had very, very close encounters with juice or chocolate and only one, after over two years of sterling service, is on the way out.

Due to a combination of circumstances, little bear has been wandering around with two IKEA pandas and a small TY panda (it has all got a bit out of hand). Pandys are regularly taken downstairs 'to wash their face' and rotated on duty.

Now, when little bear goes to nursery a certain rule is followed. We put on coats and reins and shoes. Mum gets the bag that has his change of clothing in and then little bear chooses one, and only one, toy that he can take with him. It is always a pandy, and there have been some very heated debates where I have insisted (and to my surprise, won!) that he only takes one pandy with him. The nursery are happy for him to take the toy, I leave him with it, when I pick him up pandy is always in the bag with his spare clothes, and he always glows with joy when I take it out of the bag and give it to him to carry home, Christopher Robin style.

Except today. Darling uncle spent a lot of money and bought him Ratatouille - the cuddly rat from the film. It is gorgeous, and little bear has decided to become very fond of it. Today Ratatouille (Tootoo according to little bear) went to nursery with him - he has been promoted to a pandy.