The Things They Take to Bed

There were never any loveys or binkys in our house.  Sunshine never needed them.  The pacifier was thrown out of the crib at age 7 months, never to be seen again.  She never really adopted a special blanket or toy that she had to have to sleep.  Secretly, I was both disappointed and glad.  I'm a bit of a germ-a-phobe.  The thought of my kiddo physically attached to a potential germ magnet gives me the shivers.   But I still have my blanket from when I was little.  Actually I have both of them.  Yes, Grandma Hay.  My elephant blanket and my blue knit blanket are alive and well!  I still remember the smell of the elastic on the corners of my elephant blanket as it came out of the dryer.  It's the scent of my childhood, or at least I like to think it is.  I'm sure my parents would disagree.

I would love it if Sunshine attached herself to something that she could look back and hold as an adult.  Now, there is Jungley, that beautiful little elephant that Sunshine herself picked out a couple of years ago.  She doesn't have to have Jungley to sleep, but it's definitely her favorite animal.  

Now Ladybug's attachments are absolutely riotous.  There are several things that stay in her crib; her pillow, a baby, a barbie, several books, maybe a sippy cup of ice water, 2 soft blankets.   The books are a must have.  As soon as we start to say our nighttime prayers, Ladybug scurries around the room and tosses several new ones in.  Given her penchant for wearing dirty clothes on her head, her newest attachment should not surprise me.  She has taken to picking out a piece of clothing from the hamper and taking it to bed with her.   It's almost always something of Sunshine's that was worn that day.  I do try to hide the really messy things.  Last night it was a little different.  She was hell bent on taking a cold, wet washcloth, that I had used to clean her face, to bed with her.  I couldn't let her do that.   Even I have my boundaries.  I hid the washcloth as deep in her hamper as I could.  She was crushed, but as we finally finished saying her prayers, she grabbed a pair of Sunshine's jeans.  They were the only thing that could console her.  I could put the hamper up, but I'm sure my kiddo would find some piece of used clothing somewhere.  I actually think this behavior will eventually extinguish itself.  Probably when we move her out of her crib and she has the ability to curl up with her sister instead of just with her sister's clothes.