One of Jack's favorite things

I don't remember how I got the idea, but before Jack was born, I wanted to get Vicki a little stuffed animal that she would be able to hang on to and squeeze after I had fainted and been carried off. My idea was to get a little Westie that would look like our beloved canine Hopper. What I didn't know was that Jack got a little antsy and wanted to show up earlier than expected. Unfortunately for me, I hadn't gotten the stuffed animal yet so I knew I would have to hang in there and support my wife on my own. In th wee hours of quatro de Mayo, Jack Reid van Alphen was born. Unfortunately, our new baby had to spend two weeks in the NICU. The hardest part for me was having to leave him at the end of the night. The thought of him being there alone tore me apart so on Jack's second night, I decided to still get a stuffed animal, not for Vicki, but for him. As originally planned I wanted to get a little Westie dog but where on Earth would I find one in the middle of downtown Chicago? My worst fears came true when I realized that my only option was to go where no other man has ever wanted to go before....The American Girl store. One of the characters/ toys is a little Westie dog named Coconut and the only option around. Though I didn't enjoy the experience, I felt better knowing that Hopper was keeping Jack company.

To this day, Hopper is right by Jack's bedside keeping a close eye on him while he sleeps.