Saturday night, after a day of driving 200 miles, a birthday party with 22 kids, and dinner out with my family, I was trying to regain my sanity by taking a nice, hot, long bath. With lots of bubbles. And a nice glass of wine.
I hear Maddie talking to my mom, in her bedroom. She likes to sleep with her Gram when we go to visit. Then I hear my mom get out of bed.
"Chelsea," I hear through the bathroom door, "Where's Maddie's nana?"
Maddie has had this blanket since the first day she was born. She has slept with it every night. When she was a baby, she would rub it against her cheek and try to say "night, night". Hence, the name NaNa. It has been a super-hero's cape, flying carpet, and fishing pole. She goes to sleep with it, and when she wakes up, it is still in her arms.
I forgot to pack her nana. And, we were 200 miles away from it.
I took a deep breath, and prepared myself. I cuddled up next to Maddie and tried to explain that I forgot it. I tried to tell her that her daddy was taking great care of it. I told her that a Gram was better than a nana, any day.
She cried. Not the fake tears. But, then, she got over it. She didn't mention it again, the entire weekend.
On the way back home, I started thinking about how much she has grown and matured. It made me sad that she no longer needs her nana, to cling to. What will happen when she no longer needs to cling to me? Figuratively and literally. As fun as it may be, to watch her grow and change, I still need my baby. I probably always will.
When we got home, the first thing she looked for was her nana. There it was, in the spot I had placed it, so I would be sure I wouldn't forget to pack it.
She saw it, grabbed it, turned to me and said, "Mommy, will you hold me?"
Yep, she's still my baby. For today, anyway.
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12 comments:
I'm glad she survived the weekend without her blankets. My second has two blankets that she cannot live without. So far we have managed to have at least one of them with us at all times.
I've been known to hoard a particular blanket in certain color until a blankie crisis arose in spite of my efforts and I learned the color really didn't matter after all.
It would be a great to have a book of all the lost or forgotten blanket and pacifier emergencies and how far parents are willing to go to remedy the situation.
I think your daughter's ability to cope through the weekend is a testiment to your parenting and hopefully a sign that she'll cope when she's older too.
My duaghter just turned 4 and she has a blanket she calls Dee Dee. She couldn't say blanket and DEE DEE is how it came out. We tried to get her to give it up on her fourth birthday and that worked until bedtime. I love their little things that comfort them. I agree i don't know what I will do when they don't need me anymore.
FOR ALWAYS - they just don't always wanna hear it ;)
My daughter just turned 14 and she has a doll that has a place of honour on her bed. I gave her "Baby" for her first xmas and over the years Baby has had a few surgeries and washes. My daughter tried to put her away but I see that Baby is back. I was in my late teens before I put my doll away to a closet to rest, with honour. My son gave up his blankie when he was 8, although I hated giving it up. He now sleeps with a stuffed animal. As adults we sleep with other people; I guess our version of a blankie, stuffed toy, etc?
What a big girl! Don't worry - you still have lots of cuddle time ahead of you. Soak it up.
Being a mom can be so bittersweet!
How sweet that she's still your little one that wants to be snuggled! Even if she is a big girl enough to live without her blanket for a weekend.
My son's blankie is falling apart and I'm dreading the day when it will be tossed. Those items are so precious to them and it just hurts to see them forgotten or lost or whatever. Glad Nana is back in her arms.
Oh MY! I don't know what I would do if we forgot our blankets. It would be a disaster!!! Maddie handled it so well!
My kids usually sit with their blankets in the car, so it is hard to forget them. But it is usually the #1 thing on my list when I run a checklist in my head. I try to think of things we cannot buy if we forget them. The blankets are definitely irreplaceable.
She will always be your baby! Kathryn is loving her poor blanket to shreds, it's going to be sad, sad day when we have to retire it!
You made me cry! I have a 3yr son and a 18 mo daughter who have just started daycare -- and as much as I want them not to cry when I leave them...well, you know!
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