Bedheads and Blankets

Last night Gabs asked if she could see her blanket. You see, I took it away a few months ago. She's big enough now not to have her blanket to sleep with. So I made her quit cold turkey. I remember talking about a blanket intervention years ago, and we finally did it. So I washed it up, folded it nicely, and put it away for safe keeping. Overall, she handled it rather well. But, for some reason she asked for it last night, "just to feel and smell it" she said. Joe, of course, is such a softy, so he got up to get it for her. He came back downstairs afterwards and said he shed a little tear watching her see her blanket after so long. I guess she said, "I'm so happy right now, I think I might cry happy tears." Sweet girl. I had to run upstairs myself to witness the joy. I crawled into the top bunk to find her sitting criss cross applesauce hugging and smelling her blanket. She had such a look of peace and contentment on her face. She found her favorite corner (not hard seeing as it has a huge hole in it) and had it tucked right under her nose where it always once was. She thanked me for taking such good care of it while she didn't have it. I made her promise not to suck her thumb, which she informed me in a teenage sounding voice, "Moooommm, I broke that habit remember?" all the while still smiling with her blanket under her nose. What a cutie.

This morning all the kids where cuddled up on the couch watching Little Einsteins (the only thing we're allowed to watch with Henry around) under their blankets while I feed William. In a flash I realized how grateful I am that my children find comfort in the baby blankets I made each of them. I'm grateful that's all it takes when they are sad...just holding their blanket makes them feel better. I'm grateful that where ever we go in their first several years of life, they will always have the constant of their blanket. I know I will miss seeing their little blankets in a pile under the bar stools at breakfast. I will miss the way Gwen wraps it around her when she is cold. And the way Henry sleeps with his like it's a body pillow. I will miss tucking it around William like he's a little burrito, but I can't wait to see what quirky habits he develops with his.

After a bit of a tough mothering day yesterday, I was reminded again this morning how temporary everything is. I read something this weekend that said, "Good moms have sticky floors, dirty ovens and happy kids." I think if I keep that in mind, I won't look back over my life and feel like I missed these important years cleaning and doing laundry. I will be able to look back over these years and picture my little kids, with their perfectly adorable bed head and their filthy little blankets, enjoying life. And I will be satisfied because I will remember that I enjoyed it too. This picture makes me so happy! I love my job!

--A few of you asked about the pillows on my bed from a few posts back. I'm sorry to inform you that Manhattan Kansas is full of unbelievable shopping opportunities. There are some seriously quality places to shop around here in the home decor category. I found these babies at the rare, quaint, one of a kind store-Bed, Bath and Beyond. Go figure! I hope that doesn't lessen the appeal. :)