The ABCD Blankie

Christina at Closer to the Heart Photography

I wanted to make sure I did a blog entry on Grace's ABCD blankie because it has become a huge part of our lives! When Grace was younger, she never really had a specific object she needed to go to bed or be comforted with. She was very fickle with her choice of comfort idea and we never really believed she would have that one item that she always needed.

I can not pinpoint when this changed, I just know that ABCD blankie is now with us ALL OF THE TIME! She is allowed to bring it with her in the car and not allowed to bring it in places, but for the most part she has it with her all of the time. When she is sick it never leaves her hands. It is better then a cuddle from mommy or daddy and has become the most important thing in Grace's life. How did this happen? It is just a blanket with the letters of the alphabet on it but it has become so much more to our little girl. I know one day she will not need this blanket anymore but for now it is part of our family.

Couple funny stories about the ABCD blankie:

-- Grace was not feeling well a couple weeks ago and we allowed her to bring ABCD into Meijer. She dropped it while we were shopping and Pat handed it back with a stern "If you drop it again, you will not get it back" Grace held onto it for about 5 minutes, looked at Pat, and intentionally hung it out over the edge of the cart. She then dropped it. Pat told her she could not have it back and I grabbed it and quickly put it in my purse. Oh, Miss Grace was not happy and Pat explained that the Meijer* people had taken her blanket and would give it back tomorrow. After many tears, Pat and I stayed strong and did not give her blankie back that night. The next morning Pat told Grace that someone had brought something for her that morning. Her response was "Meijer People? ABCD!!!" and then grabbed the blanket and twirled in a circle clutching it to her face and smiling. You could not help but smile at the pure joy in her face.

--We have found that when Grace goes to bed she likes to cry a little to see if she can get back out. Pat has recently found the tactic of going in her room and threatening to take ABCD has ended this routine and Grace immediately goes to bed when this happens. Pat mentioned the other night after using this tactic that he wondered if we could keep ABCD till she was out of high school. I could see the ideas swirling in his head of curfews being met, no dating boys until after she was 18, and listening to everything her dad said because he threatened to take ABCD away. I could not help but smile, I know it is going to be a lot harder than that!!!

--One night Grace woke up in the middle of the night and wanted to get up and play. No rhyme or reason, just wanted to play. All Pat did was walk in the room and say "Grace, if you do not go to bed, do you know what is going to happen?" Grace's response was too funny, she said with a grave seriousness in her voice " Yes, daddy, Meijer* people come, take ABCD, and they will bring it back in morning" and then laid down to go to sleep. We did not hear a peep out of her for the rest of the night!

*We are in no way trying to make our daughter hate Meijer. They were just the most convenient bad guys at the time!