iHeartFaces: "Blue"

I haven't put in a picture for iHeartFaces in quite a while! This week, the theme is "Blue." This is a picture from when we went to the Dunes. John was throwing sand Evan's way--they both thought it was rather humorous!

~~~Check out the other photos at iHeartFaces~~~

Blankie

From very early on, Evan has found security in his blankie. It started out very innocently...he would keep it close to his neck when he slept. It was just an ordinary receiving blanket, a bit over-sized. I had picked out the snoopy material before he was born, and my mom had sewn the edges of it.

For the longest time, blankie was only used during sleeping...but gradually, that changed.

Blankie started coming downstairs with him, blankie tagged along in the van, and blankie was getting more and more hugs.

Then there was change---not a good change---blankie was getting chewed on. Of course, it started out rather gradually, but over a period of time, the chewing increased. I would cut small lose ends for fear that he might choke on them. Blankie got smaller and smaller.

After he would fall asleep, I would usually go into his room and remove it from around his neck because, well, it was usually very wet from being chewed on...gross...
It would smell---badly---and it would get washed...a lot.

It didn't take long until blankie no longer looked like a blankie.

Then one day a few weeks ago--it was a Saturday--I just couldn't give it to him before his nap. It was this ever so small wad of ick. I would post a picture, but.....no......

I hated the thought of him not having it. It had comforted him for so long.

I put him down for his nap, explained to him that he wasn't going to get blankie, and to my complete surprise, he went to sleep with not complaints.

Could it really be this easy??

That night, same thing. He went to bed, and he was fine.

Yeah!

Well, almost.

On Sunday, he started making it clear that he needed his blankie. I think if he could talk, he would have said, "Mom, this is the longest you've ever taken blankie away to clean it. Obviously, it's clean now. Give it back to me...now."

For the next couple of days and nights, there was crying with the occasional call for "key." I felt so badly. At one point when he was in his room crying, I went to the kitchen and reached up to the top of the fridge to retrieve it.

Only, when I put it up there, it had been wet....it was now a crusty, hard ball of ick. There went that idea.

Although he had another receiving blanket, a yellow one--material bought the same day as the snoopy material---he was never attached to it. At some point, I went to the closet where our blankets are. In there, was a receiving blanket we had from when Chelsey was a baby--I had never given it to Evan, not sure why. It has baby Disney characters and a few letters on it, was still in excellent condition, and I thought maybe he would like it because of the letters on it (he really likes letters).

When I gave it to him, he immediately smiled and started pointing to the letters....yes!

Over a period of a couple of days, it appeared that this might be the new blankie. The adoration started slowly....then, it was clear...this was the new blankie.

And there appeared to be a bonus...he wasn't chewing on it! And if I had written this within the first 2 weeks of his adoption of the new blankie, I would be saying that as if it were set in stone! Yeah, that didn't last....but we are keeping a closer eye on this behavior and greatly discouraging it.

I wonder how long this one will last....

20.....20!

Beautiful baby....

....gorgeous young lady!

Chelsey, you're an amazing young woman with a heart of gold. I'm glad you're my daughter...keep filling the world with your sunshine! Happy Birthday!

"She's a butterfly, pretty as the crimson sky

Nothing's ever gonna bring her down

And everywhere she goes

Everybody knows she's so glad to be alive

She's a butterfly

Like the purest light in a darkened world

So much hope inside such a lovely girl

You should see her fly, it's almost magical

It makes you wanna cry, she's so beautiful

God bless the butterfly,

give her the strength to fly

Never let her wings touch the ground

God bless the butterfly,

give her strength to fly

Never let her wings touch the ground"

~~~Martina Mcbride~~~

16.....16!

An adorable little boy....

....a handsome young man!

Matt is 16 today!

Matt, you're an amazing son.

I love being your mom!

18......18!!!

So cute then...

....and so good-looking now!

Kyle is 18! Happy Birthday to my baby...okay, okay, my adult son! :)
You've come a long way...I love being your mom...I'm so proud to have you as my son!

Playground Update

Since we've been back in school, my desire to be on the computer has dwindled significantly. There are a few things I want to blog about, but I'll stick to just one topic tonight...maybe get the others in sometime this week...?

About a month ago, I had this post about the "battle" to get Evan to play on the playground.

....there's been a complete turn-around!

It happened last week when we went for our usual long walk, ending at the playground. Only this time, he pointed towards the playground equipment, I asked him if he wanted to play, and he gave me a "es." As we got closer, he was tyring to climb out of the seat belt of the stroller!

Of course, this was maybe the second time this summer where we've gone for a walk, and not only was he not wearing his sandals, I didn't have them in the stroller either. I just really didn't anticipate needing them.

He got out and immediately started playing...not just sitting on his favorite platform but going throughout different pieces of equipment, following kids, and laughing. It was great!

Why the change? My guess...preschool. For three years now it has bothered me greatly that he hasn't had much exposure to other kids---I strongly believe that is the greatest therapy of all.

We went back to the playground today, and again, he couldn't wait to get out of the stroller. He (we) even went down a really big curly slide...again, and again, and again, etc. He had never ventured that far before.

Yea!