Aiden’s Lovey has a name. “Blank.” Short for Blanket. Before Joey was born while doing laundry I accidentally tossed Blank behind the washer in a effort to quickly throw it on top of the washer discreetly. I was huge and pregnant and so instead of fishing it out I just waited to see what might happen. There was no mention of the lost blanket, which I found odd considering at the time he seemed to be forming an extremely strong attachment to it.
A couple weeks ago while watching and loving Joey’s forming attachment to all of his receiving blankets which I keep with him at all times as a large makeshift burp cloth, I decided to find a old wire hanger and go fishing. Now Blank had hardly been mentioned, but I knew Aiden would love to see it again. I reached the blanket, threw it in the wash, and dropped it over him late one night as he slept.
He didn’t even notice. Later I checked in on him to see if he’d found it and it had been brushed aside. So again I tucked him in. He still didn’t notice it. When I woke him up the next morning, I had to show it to him. I thought the feel all by itself would have done it.
When I was around his age I fell asleep on the living room floor one night. My Mom tucked me in with my brother Jason’s red picnic tablecloth pattern blanket. I woke up, to twirl the yarn ties, to find them rough, long, and synthetic as opposed to the short, soft, cotton ties I was used to. It was traumatic to say the least. I remember many memories with my blanket oh so clearly, it never had a name other than my yellow ducky blanket, that I know of. The back had yellow and white gingham, and the front a little toy duck pattern that is now so worn it’s little more than a memory. My first pictures in the hospital were on that blanket, and I believe my Mom, Grandma, and Aunts made it for me while my Mom was expecting me.
He’s enjoying it again, but not in the same “I can’t do anything without it” sense. I beleive he’s also calmer in our back and fourth lifestyle with it tucked in his hands. He’s obsessed with the tags, I’m sure much in the same way I was obsessed with twirling my soft yarn ties. He also enjoys stuffing a handful of it under his neck as he sleeps, much the way I still do with my blankets at night. I’m glad he has his Blank.
Blankies are VERY important. I still have mine (pink gingham/pink bunnies) after ???? years. E took her blankie to girls camp one year…it fell off the back of a truck on the way up a narrow canyon…Bishop couldn’t stop to get it. She went crazy! After unloading, the Bishop drove back down, found somewhere to pull over, hopped over the center fence, and rescued blankie!!!!!!
Aunt Suzanne
What great pictures! I remember my favorite blanket when I was little too, but I think my mom threw it away when I was little. Blankets are so important to kids.
What beautiful pictures – you are so talented!