The Blanket

My daughter has a blanket. She carries it everywhere. It's been on vacation a few times, this blanket. And even in the hottest of weather, my Princess will have her blanket next to her for comfort.

How did it all start. Well, quiet simply actually. I was still pregnant with Fatty and as per our nap time ritual, I would lay down with Princess, pop a boob in her mouth and watch her drift off to sleep. She started to twist my blanket in her fingers, ripping off little pieces of the fabric and when I saw how it soothed her (especially since I was trying to wean) I thought, "great, she can use this to fall asleep instead of my breast". Also, it meant I didn't have to lie with her all the time as she had her blanket to help her sleep.

Eventually I gave her her very own blanket. An orange blanket mother in law had given me for her when she was a baby. She loved the blanket and very quickly became so attached, she would not sleep without it. Soon she was dragging the blanket everywhere with her, trips to the library, walks to the store and on vacations. If her blanket is in the wash I give her 'the substitute', a mickey mouse 'rip off''. I guess it feels differently then her blanket because soon after she's wailing for her 'manket'. There's nothing 'special' about this blanket of hers.... just a few pictures of butterflies, that's it.

She does have a sweater with the same texture as her blanket that will calm her down until the actual blanket is materialized. But it's just funny to me, this attachment she has. And I wonder just how long it will last.

I am told hubby used to have a blanket attachment too. Except he didn't twirl the blanket in his finger, he stuck it in his nose. And sucked his thumb. Princess sucks her TONGUE...LOL!I kid you not.

My brother use to have a tongue sucking habit too, but it didn't accompany any type of cloth material. Princess needs her blanket and her tongue sucking and begins to furiously rip tiny fragments off the blanket until she drifts into a peaceful sleep. Each morning, there are tiny pieces of the blanket lying around everywhere, even in MY hair.

It's really funny to watch her with her blanket and habits are oh so adorable. But I have to keep that blanket available for her at all times or else she goes into a rage. Thankfully, I don't wash it that often... and when I do, she's usually just without it for one day or less.

The things we do for love, right.