DD2, the Blankie Baby

First off, I know I was a blankie baby. I *always* had to have my specific
blanket. In all honesty, I still have a small shred of the blanket hidden
away in my hope chest. I basically kept it and lived with it until it was
shredded and frayed and falling apart and nothing was left of it. I also
sucked my thumb pretty much from day 1 and in all honesty, I think I didn't
break that habit until I was fairly older - probably 5 or 6? I'm not
entirely sure, but I do know that I was told when I was about 18-19 and I
had a fairly bad case of mono, I was so out of it and I resorted to sucking
my thumb. I don't remember any of that. There's about a week or two at
that time that I have no memory of. I basically had my mom over and she
cared for DS and for me, and I had a few good friends that apparently spoon
fed me so I would actually get some sort of food in me, and that kind of
seems like a rare, extreme case.

Anyways, none of my kids suck their thumb, although DD2 sucks her one
pointer finger. She also has a slight (major) blanket obsession and ONLY
the one and only blanket for her. She'll be 2 at the end of October.
She carries that blanket around with her EVERYWHERE. We cannot leave the
house without it, she will stop and make sure she takes her blanket out of
bed in the morning and after her nap, and she also will not go to sleep (for
the night or a nap) without her blanket - unless it's a rare case of being
extremely exhausted. She basically has to have it. Everywhere and
anywhere. God forbid someone else has her blanket as that's asking for
trouble.

When she's going to sleep, she has to have it in her hand while she sucks
her finger. Never took any soother or pacifier (basically refused it), but
she still is nursing (although not very much as of late) and has never had a
bottle of EBM, formula, water, juice, etc. Absolutely refused any part of
that from day 1 when I tried to offer pumped milk that I worked sooo hard to
pump and it was a no go.
Now I hear it mostly from my parents about her blanket, mostly. Her finger
sucking is something I've found she only does when she's real tired. And
always the blanket or it can lead to a slight freakout session until she has
it. My parents keep bugging me about this blanket, saying she doesn't need
it, it should stay in her crib for bed and nap only. I'll grab for the
blanket while going out before I grab for diapers, and will take this
blanket even for a quick walk to the store, run to the mall, out to visit,
trip to the park and so on.

Oh, and she also sucks the corners and only the corners of this blanket.
Kind of chews them too, I've noticed. She actually sucked/chewed a piece of
the corner off once, partially swallowed then a short while later she threw
up and I found a small piece of the blanket's corner while cleaning up in
the mess. I've already cut it and resewn it. It's basically a worn flannel
blanket doubled and sewed around the edges to make it "new" again. I also
have to wash it probably 3 or so times a week (the corners get all brown,
kind of, and crunchy from her having it in her mouth, plus she carries it
everywhere, I just find washing it every couple of days makes me feel
better - she'd have it dirty or clean, it doesn't matter to her. Also, I
find she kind of rubs the corners on her face - nose, cheek, ears, eyes,
wherever, as a comfort thing, I'm sure)
So... Is this blanket such a HUGE deal? I'm a little more concerned about
her sucking her finger, especially since I *know* it was a horrible habit I
had, and I had it for so long before I was able to break that habit - or my
parents broke the habit, I really don't remember.

Should I just let her keep this blanket as she's going with it - carting it
around everywhere and anywhere? lol I've even seen her take her baby doll
out of the stroller, put the doll on the floor and put the blanket in her
toy stroller and push THAT around instead.

She is the youngest (for a number of months still) and I still see her as my
"baby". She's very, very clingy and needy when it comes to being near me,
so she's just my baby still and I don't yet see her as a toddler or
anything. *I* don't think the blanket is the end of the world. I know I
need to do another cut and sew job on it again (all 4 corners have holes in
them and need another fixing) and I just have the idea that eventually there
will be nothing left of it to really cut off, sew again and give back to
her, so at that point maybe she'll be a bit older and understand and we can
put the last little square of blanket away for her with the other things I
keep for each of the kids.

Do you think it's the end of the world - as my parents seem to make it out
to be - or is she still fine with it? I can't imagine she's the one and
only child that has this kind of bond, relationship, what? with a certain
'special' baby blanket. I'm sure there has to be others out there, so any
advice? This seems like a battle I don't want to start since it *seems*
pointless to me. Any ideas?

"Kat" wrote in message
news:xvRmk.119604$kx.85362@pd7urf3no...
it. My parents keep bugging me about this blanket, saying she doesn't
need it, it should stay in her crib for bed and nap only. I'll grab for
the blanket while going out before I grab for diapers, and will take this
blanket even for a quick walk to the store, run to the mall, out to visit,
trip to the park and so on.

Nah, let her keep it. What harm can it do? Tell them she can't sleep
without it and that means she needs it.

Kat schrieb:
snip
Do you think it's the end of the world - as my parents seem to make it out
to be - or is she still fine with it? I can't imagine she's the one and
only child that has this kind of bond, relationship, what? with a certain
'special' baby blanket. I'm sure there has to be others out there, so any
advice? This seems like a battle I don't want to start since it *seems*
pointless to me. Any ideas?

I had a doll like that. I rubbed the ears until they had to be replaced,
they were two layers of thin cotton fabric that was kind of crisp and I
liked feeling the brrt brrt of the ridges rubbing against one another.
My mom finally replaced the ears with two layers stuck together and I
never rubbed them again, and actually kind of lost interest in the doll
altogether.
So, if you want her to get rid of the blanket you might want to find out
what she loves about it and change that. But honestly, if you're not
bothered you don't need to do anything about it.

cu
nicole

"Kat" wrote in message
news:xvRmk.119604$kx.85362@pd7urf3no...
First off, I know I was a blankie baby. I *always* had to have my
specific blanket. In all honesty, I still have a small shred of the
blanket hidden away in my hope chest. I basically kept it and lived with
it until it was shredded and frayed and falling apart and nothing was left
of it. I also sucked my thumb pretty much from day 1 and in all honesty,
I think I didn't break that habit until I was fairly older - probably 5 or
6? I'm not entirely sure, but I do know that I was told when I was about
18-19 and I had a fairly bad case of mono, I was so out of it and I
resorted to sucking my thumb. I don't remember any of that. There's
about a week or two at that time that I have no memory of. I basically
had my mom over and she cared for DS and for me, and I had a few good
friends that apparently spoon fed me so I would actually get some sort of
food in me, and that kind of seems like a rare, extreme case.
snip
I don't think it's a big deal. I sucked my thumb until I was about 14yo
(mostly at night) and I had a teddy that went everywhere until I got married
:-( (dh said that he wasn't sharing his bed with a teddy, and nor was he
naming any of the children after a teddy)
She'll give it up when she's ready.
Debbie

What I did with DD's stuffed dragon was to let DD know that Draggy could
come, but she had to carry him, starting right as soon as she was walking
well. Then, after she'd realized that bringing Draggy often led to other
children wanting to play with him, I introduced the "why don't you put
Draggy in your backpack, and carry the backpack". So, for awhile, Draggy
went everywhere in the toddler-sized purple backpack (which, since this was
right about the time we were potty training, also held her extra clothes).

Now, at 3 1/2, Draggy usually stays home unless she's going to be napping or
sleeping overnight (although the backpack often goes, stuffed with toys,
books, or other treasures. As long as she hauls it, I don't really mind),
but if she's insecure, Draggy comes out. When we picked out a new backpack
for preschool (starting next Tuesday!) to hold her spare clothes and daily
folder, I made sure there was plenty of room for Draggy, because I'm pretty
sure he'll be going to school for at least the first few weeks.

My BIL has asked me why I don't work to break her of the habit. My comment
is always that I doubt she'll take him to Kindergarten-and if she wants to,
that's what backpacks are for! Personally, I WISH I could pack comfort and
security into an easily carried package, and bring it with me so readily.
Unfortunately, I don't think it works for adults.

Kat wrote:

Should I just let her keep this blanket as she's going with it - carting it
around everywhere and anywhere?

I think at this age I would *start* to try to ease her
away from having the blanket with her everywhere, if only
because at some point dragging a blanky around will start to
interfere with other things (not to mention it ups the odds
that it will get lost or destroyed). I would aim to make the
transition first to keeping it in the house or car (but not
taking it into the store/restaurant/park/wherever you're
going), then to keeping it in the house, then to keeping it
in the bedroom over the course of a year or two. No need,
in my opinion, to take it away or go to keeping it in the
bed cold turkey.

Best wishes,
Ericka

"Kat" wrote:

First off, I know I was a blankie baby....
snip
Now I hear it mostly from my parents about her blanket, mostly.
snip
My parents keep bugging me about this blanket, saying she doesn't need
it, it should stay in her crib for bed and nap only.
snip
Do you think it's the end of the world - as my parents seem to make it out
to be - or is she still fine with it? I can't imagine she's the one and
only child that has this kind of bond, relationship, what? with a certain
'special' baby blanket. I'm sure there has to be others out there, so any
advice? This seems like a battle I don't want to start since it *seems*
pointless to me. Any ideas?

To me it also seems like a battle that you don't need to start.

(You say your parents - is it really both of them or is it mostly your
mom?)

It sounds to me like your mom was stressed by your thumb sucking and
blankie obsession and wants to try to avoid that with your daughter. .
But you aren't your mom and your daughter isn't you.

Personally I would ask my mom to reminisce about how I was as a child
and what she remembers about me and thumb sucking and blankie use. You
might get some indication about where she/they is/are coming from on
this. Maybe this was one of your dad's things and your mom was
stressed by him. Maybe it was her MIL that complained about you, or
maybe she was embarrassed to have you with the thumb sucking and
blankie in front of her friends. Don't be confrontational - just
ask her to tell you about your childhood..

No, I don't think the blanket is a huge deal. DD1 had a similar blanket that
she carried everywhere and I let her do it. It was her comfort object. She
slept with the blanket until she was around 13-14 yrs old and still has her
Koala bear that is on her bed at almost 16 yrs old. She will give it up when
she is ready. I would not take it away at all.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)

"Kat" wrote in message
news:xvRmk.119604$kx.85362@pd7urf3no...
First off, I know I was a blankie baby. I *always* had to have my
specific blanket. In all honesty, I still have a small shred of the
blanket hidden away in my hope chest. I basically kept it and lived with
it until it was shredded and frayed and falling apart and nothing was left
of it. I also sucked my thumb pretty much from day 1 and in all honesty,
I think I didn't break that habit until I was fairly older - probably 5 or
6? I'm not entirely sure, but I do know that I was told when I was about
18-19 and I had a fairly bad case of mono, I was so out of it and I
resorted to sucking my thumb. I don't remember any of that. There's
about a week or two at that time that I have no memory of. I basically
had my mom over and she cared for DS and for me, and I had a few good
friends that apparently spoon fed me so I would actually get some sort of
food in me, and that kind of seems like a rare, extreme case.

Anyways, none of my kids suck their thumb, although DD2 sucks her one
pointer finger. She also has a slight (major) blanket obsession and ONLY
the one and only blanket for her. She'll be 2 at the end of October.
She carries that blanket around with her EVERYWHERE. We cannot leave the
house without it, she will stop and make sure she takes her blanket out of
bed in the morning and after her nap, and she also will not go to sleep
(for the night or a nap) without her blanket - unless it's a rare case of
being extremely exhausted. She basically has to have it. Everywhere and
anywhere. God forbid someone else has her blanket as that's asking for
trouble.

When she's going to sleep, she has to have it in her hand while she sucks
her finger. Never took any soother or pacifier (basically refused it),
but she still is nursing (although not very much as of late) and has never
had a bottle of EBM, formula, water, juice, etc. Absolutely refused any
part of that from day 1 when I tried to offer pumped milk that I worked
sooo hard to pump and it was a no go.
Now I hear it mostly from my parents about her blanket, mostly. Her
finger sucking is something I've found she only does when she's real
tired. And always the blanket or it can lead to a slight freakout session
until she has it. My parents keep bugging me about this blanket, saying
she doesn't need it, it should stay in her crib for bed and nap only.
I'll grab for the blanket while going out before I grab for diapers, and
will take this blanket even for a quick walk to the store, run to the
mall, out to visit, trip to the park and so on.

Oh, and she also sucks the corners and only the corners of this blanket.
Kind of chews them too, I've noticed. She actually sucked/chewed a piece
of the corner off once, partially swallowed then a short while later she
threw up and I found a small piece of the blanket's corner while cleaning
up in the mess. I've already cut it and resewn it. It's basically a worn
flannel blanket doubled and sewed around the edges to make it "new" again.
I also have to wash it probably 3 or so times a week (the corners get all
brown, kind of, and crunchy from her having it in her mouth, plus she
carries it everywhere, I just find washing it every couple of days makes
me feel better - she'd have it dirty or clean, it doesn't matter to her.
Also, I find she kind of rubs the corners on her face - nose, cheek, ears,
eyes, wherever, as a comfort thing, I'm sure)
So... Is this blanket such a HUGE deal? I'm a little more concerned about
her sucking her finger, especially since I *know* it was a horrible habit
I had, and I had it for so long before I was able to break that habit - or
my parents broke the habit, I really don't remember.

Should I just let her keep this blanket as she's going with it - carting
it around everywhere and anywhere? lol I've even seen her take her baby
doll out of the stroller, put the doll on the floor and put the blanket in
her toy stroller and push THAT around instead.

She is the youngest (for a number of months still) and I still see her as
my "baby". She's very, very clingy and needy when it comes to being near
me, so she's just my baby still and I don't yet see her as a toddler or
anything. *I* don't think the blanket is the end of the world. I know I
need to do another cut and sew job on it again (all 4 corners have holes
in them and need another fixing) and I just have the idea that eventually
there will be nothing left of it to really cut off, sew again and give
back to her, so at that point maybe she'll be a bit older and understand
and we can put the last little square of blanket away for her with the
other things I keep for each of the kids.

Do you think it's the end of the world - as my parents seem to make it out
to be - or is she still fine with it? I can't imagine she's the one and
only child that has this kind of bond, relationship, what? with a certain
'special' baby blanket. I'm sure there has to be others out there, so any
advice? This seems like a battle I don't want to start since it *seems*
pointless to me. Any ideas?