MARK MY WORD: A STITCH IN TIME SAVES BUDDY BEAR FROM BEING IN STITCHES

Buddy Bear had seen better days.

After 5 years, he was worn ragged. His stuffing was bulging and threatening to spill out. Once blue, white yellow and pink, Buddy Bear had faded to a dismal gray.

It's not that he wasn't loved. In some ways, he was loved too much. For her first few years of life, Bailey carried her Buddy everywhere. Even now as a 5-year-old, Bailey still likes to cuddle with him.

But the old terry cloth bear with bunny slippers had clearly endured his share of playground dirt. He had been crunched, smashed and pulled. He had been the victim of a number of ketchup spills too.

Still, we've done our best over the years to make Buddy Bear socially acceptable. But he couldn't have soaked up more dirt if he were a sponge.

Buddy got plenty of baths. He was constantly being washed to remove all the dirt and grime. Eventually bleach took its toll.

Still, he's a survivor. But despite his uncomplaining ways, he clearly was on life support in recent weeks. Joni and I were worried that he would soon be too worn out for Bailey's day care.

He needed a major makeover in the worst way. We're not talking about a facial here. We're talking about a major bear emergency.

So Joni jumped right in the other night to rescue Buddy. She stitched up a fleece, canary yellow jumpsuit, enclosing Buddy Bear in a new set of threads and giving him a new lease on life.

As part of the makeover, the hanging-by-a-thread pink bowtie has been replaced with a new one, complete with an American flag pin in the middle.

Joni previously had tried to patch Buddy, but Bailey hadn't approved of that effort. Patches weren't good enough for her bear.

The jumpsuit is a different story. Bailey says she likes it.

Bailey has decided Buddy Bear is now a girl. But I don't believe it. Buddy's a boy, I tell her.

Whatever the gender, the jumpsuit has given Buddy Bear a new figure. Richard Simmons couldn't have done better. Buddy had been in need of a diet, but thanks to the jumpsuit, the old bear looks like he has lost a few inches around the middle. He's not thin, but then you wouldn't want that in a lovable old bear.

Still, he no longer resembles Winnie the Pooh. They say clothes don't make a man, but it's clear it makes a difference for bears.

Still, even the bright jumpsuit doesn't hide his unusually long arms. They've been stretched out from years of being grabbed, waved and held by Bailey.

She often holds Buddy's arms up under her nose when she is tired or in need of comfort.

The other day she predicted Buddy's head might come off. But I calmly advised her that Buddy wasn't about to lose his head, not when there is a sewing machine around.

Regardless of his attire, Buddy often is on his own during the day. But at bedtime he's back by Bailey's side.

Joni has promised to make Buddy an entire wardrobe of colorful jumpsuits. Next thing you know, Buddy will need his own walk-in closet with pairs and pairs of matching bunny slippers.

I envisioned one of the outfits might be a sequined jumpsuit, but Joni informed me that she wouldn't turn Buddy into an Elvis impersonator.

Besides, there are enough impersonators out there. Buddy Bear is an original.

Buddy's new outfit isn't flashy. It won't turn the heads of all those Barbie dolls. But that's OK. Buddy isn't a flashy bear. He's a comfortable bear, the kind that even parents want to hug.

mbliss@semissourian.com(573) 335-6611, extension 123