Seeing Double

Those of you who have been follwing the blog or who know Luke in person will also have seen or met his blankie. It's amazing how fast that blanket has gotten ratty, and it's also amazing to find out how critical it is to Luke's happiness and ability to function. He will not sleep without it. He won't even go several hours without it. It's one of those things that we couldn't survive without.

So I was ecstatic when, during our first week here, I went to Baby Depot to get a booster seat and saw an identical blanket!

The new one is on the left. It's a little brighter and not as worn, but it's the same blanket.

I was especially happy to find it at that particular moment because Luke had just dropped his blanket in the parking lot and the day before dragged it around a playground, and it was pretty filthy. So I pulled off the tags and tried to do a swap as soon as we got home. He picked it up, smelled it, and dropped it on the floor. He would have none of it! That little stinker could tell it wasn't the real McCoy! I would try little experiments by putting both of them down in front of him, and he would always choose his old one. I tried hiding his old one and only giving him the new one, but he didn't want it and would cry.

Then I got smart. Or so I thought. I washed both of them, and put them both in his crib: that way they would both smell the same. It worked kind of. As long as he could only see one he would accept whichever one was given him or that he could find.

Luke with the new blanket

But this is the "kind of" part. Luke has now figured out that there are two. And at times he wants/demands BOTH. He tries to carry both around, and they get tangled around on his feet. What I've started doing is leaving one in his bed and letting one be his travel around the house blanket. That way they both keep his smell and such, but one is always clean enough to sleep with. Although to be honest, he usually sleeps with both.

I have to say, though, that I LOVE his blanket attachment. It's the only thing about him that reminds me of me. I'm glad he has some part of me in there somewhere. Man, I love that kid!