The story behind Reagan’s little yellow duck

Reagan was still a baby, and one day I could hear James on the phone talking to her over FaceTime, while she was getting her bath. James was making silly duck noises while Reagan played and splashed, so I assumed she was playing with a toy duck. I wasn’t a part of the conversation, only nearby, but hearing her little giggles brought a big smile to my face.

I thought it might be fun to write Reagan a little story of her own—something made especially for her. This is when that tiny yellow duck became the beginning of an idea. I never imagined this idea would become anything more than that.

Once I decided that I wanted to write a book, I knew I had to give that little yellow duck a name, but I wasn’t sure what.

Reagan was little, So I didn’t need anything difficult. The story was playful, and I wanted a name that sounded silly and sweet—the kind of name that she could easily remember.

And voila, Mr. Quacker’s was born.

So, I sat at my computer where one idea turned into two, then two into three, and before I knew it Reagan and Mr. Quacker’s started an unforgettable magical journey through San Diego together. When I finished the story, simply stapling the pages together didn’t feel like enough anymore. I wanted it to be beautiful. I wanted it to be something that she could be proud of and keep forever and possibly read to her own children.

As I was writing, the book became about more than a little girl and her duck. This book was my way of giving Reagan a piece of me.

Reagan and I haven’t had the opportunity to share many moments together yet, but I hope there will be chances someday. Until that day, I wanted her to have something she could hold in her hands.  Something that was created only for he and could serve as a reminder that her Aunt Nikki loves her.

So, maybe Mr. Quacker’s got his name simply because it was easy and sounded cute.

The most important thing to remember about his name is that he became Mr. Quacker’s because one ordinary little moment made me want to create something unique and extraordinary for a little girl, I love.

I hope that wherever Reagan’s Adventures take her, she can take this book with her and open it, read it always knowing that:

Aunt Nikki loves you & will always love you. Aunt Nikki is here. And, this story will always be yours.