That precious baby blanket. Whether it be soft, silky, big, or small, it was our object of soothing and comfort. It replaced mama or dadda when we needed a hug or to be soothed. It was carried around to all corners of the house, the doctor’s office, daycare, and everywhere we went. The comfort object. That one precious object, the one we could not live without… the baby blanket.
Ivy has her one and only baby blanket. I don’t even remember how she made it her “blankie.” I had so many blankets I used with her! But this one (see here), this one is ultra cozy, made of faux cashmere fur with rosettes and reverses to a soft textured dot pattern. It was the one I always laid underneath her when I placed her in her rock and play sleeper to sleep so it made it nice and soft and cozy. I’m not surprised it’s “the chosen one,” I don’t mind snuggling in it with her either. I might just have to buy baby boy the blue one! He could be like Linus from Peanuts and always carry it around, hopefully without the thumb sucking action though! ;)
Ivy has been attached to this blankie since about 9 months when she could say “bankie,” or we at least could infer that’s what she wanted. She would instantly stop crying if we gave her her blanket. It became her comfort object, she would just hold it or lay her face on it and be ok. This really helped when she started daycare at 10 months. Except I would be heartbroken when I would pick her up and she would have her blanket with her, that meant she was crying and needed comfort, but thankfully her blanket became a replacement while I was away. Also, she loved it while sleeping! In fact, this is one of the keys to baby sleep. Instead of crying out and needing mom or dad to comfort her back to sleep, she would find her blankie and snuggle with it and go back to sleep. Self-soothing. Amen. (Read this sleep article on “The Power of the Blankie.”)
Lately, the blankie is becoming more and more of a comfort object for her. Even sometimes at dinner, she wants it on the back of her high chair if she thinks about it. Yes, at times it is a complete bother or inconvenience when she wants it. Like when we have to search the entire house at night before bedtime to find it, or when I didn’t bring it along on errands and she hit a wall on the way home, or when I have had to turn the car around several times (especially lately, pregnancy brain, curse you) to go back home and get it because I don’t even want to imagine what the naptime struggle would be like if she didn’t have it. But hey, if it’s what comforts her and soothes her, let it be, and turn the damn car around to get it.
Except now, she’s gotten into a pacifier too! (UGH!) She never took to the pacifier, which I was good with, until Grandma (sorry Emmie!) kept trying and trying to give her one and finally now in the past couple of months she wants it when she sleeps. She calls it a “dissy,” what the heck?? So since she was getting it at Grandmas, she started asking for it at our house too, and eventually I just gave in. CURSE ME! I sneak in at night and pull it out of her mouth, haha, she still sleeps fine, as I know she has been fine without it for 15 months! But it is pretty cute, she goes to her drawer to get it at naptime and bedtime, then puts it back in the drawer when she’s done with her nap, so that I am happy about. Only at naptime, thank goodness. Well it looks like in this picture, we maaaaaay have slipped up once or twice… : / #survival – But look how she holds her blankie in her wittle hand (omg SWOON).
Already, I’m wondering when she will give up these items. I have fears already about her taking her blankie along with her at kindergarten or college (we know there are some of you like this!!!), is she going to be one of those kids?! I don’t know, but reading this article on when kids should give up their comfort item made me feel a little better. Hopefully she just transitions herself out of it. But I’m not going to push it, it’s pretty damn cute right now. It makes her seem so sweet and like such a little baby, I don’t mind it. Although I could come up with some pretty creative goodbye ceremonies! Have you seen this one?! 17 month old Cora gives up her pacifier with it attached to balloons. GAH! If this moment doesn’t get you, the Sarah McLachlan song “I will remember you” will!!! So adorable. The way she releases it after using it just one last time!
Does your little one have a comfort item? I’m anxious to see which blanket baby boy will attach to or what will be his comfort item, if he does at all. Hopefully. It’s been a lifesaver at times for Ivy! Meanwhile, look at these adorable photos of kids and their comfort objects, cooooooome on, SO SWEET. Like really, kids are just SO d a r n CUTE!