Dirty Simon

My mom gave Cakes this cute little white bear when she was just born:



The bear, dubbed Simon, soon became her favourite friend. She can’t sleep without clutching Simon in her chubby fists. He’s in her arms when she wakes each morning.

Cakes and Simon are inseparable.

Unfortunately, one year later, Simon is looking rather worse for wear:



It's hard to tell from the picture, but instead of pristine white, he's now the colour of old dishwater. He's covered in suspicious stains.

Cakes has spit up on him, wiped cereal off her mouth with him, wiped her nose—she’s even wiped her arse with poor Simon.

I’ve washed him several times, and each time I do, I live in fear he won’t survive the spin cycle.

We’ve looked everywhere for a new Simon, but there is none to be found.

I’d like to steer her towards a new friendship. Simon smells bad. He’s embarrassing when we take him out in public. However, whenever I try to introduce her to someone new, she clutches Simon for dear life.

What's a mama to do?