Hold on

I just realized that my child needs to hold on to something to fall asleep. She grabs on to my fingers at bedtime and grips them like a vice until she falls asleep and I thought it was just because she wanted mommy close. I'm thinking not. She is constantly pulling the pacifier out of her mouth, but I am realizing she does this because it's the only thing she has to hang on to. She is in her swing and was overtired and obviously needed to fall asleep but was having trouble. I gave her the pacifier and you could see the relief sweep over face. She started to relax and drift off to sleep but then those crazy hands and their mind of their own started in on the pacifier. I went over to put it back in and she grabbed onto my fingers like usual. Now, I would have been happy to stand there and let her grip my fingers until she fell asleep, but if I am ever to get a shower in or maybe clean the house, I needed a better plan. I grabbed a little blanket and fed it into those crazy, little hands and low and behold, it worked like a charm! She is sleeping peacefully! I am slightly dreading the day when I have to break her of these perceived "bad" habits (blanket, binky), as I remember the days when I had to rid myself of my blankie and thumbsucking but I need to shower and floors need to be mopped. When she is older, at least I will be able to clean the house while trying to convince her that she doesn't need a blankie. For now, the dog and I will enjoy the peace and quiet.

I would post a picture, but she is in the swing and I don't dare stop it just to take a picture. You'll have to use your imagination today, it'll be good for you.