of loveys lost and found

"Some babies attach themselves to a blanket or toy that becomes a 'lovey.' This is a transitional object that comforts your baby in your absence. In some cases, you may be able to help your baby become attached to a lovey or comfort object so that he has something to cuddle and help him fall asleep without your help."

- "The No-Cry sleep Solution" Elizabeth Pantley

The lovey thing worked out great with Maymuna. First, she took a soother almost immediately. Then she became attached to a bear that my aunt and uncle sent her when she was born. "Bear" was almost the exact same size as Maymuna when I first began putting him in her crib with her at night. These pictures are from summer 2004 (above) and fall 2005 (left). She has never slept without him to this day. Bear lives in her bed mainly, so that he doesn't get lost, and stays relatively clean, but we take him on plane rides and long car trips too. I really don't see any rush in getting Maymuna to sleep without him, his presence has served us well so far - did I mention Maymuna slept through the night at 2 months?

Hafsa refused the soother off the bat. I tried offering it to her the very first night in the hospital, even though they say that's a bad idea. The theory is that babies will develop latch problems because in general soothers are not a realistic shape, and will then have trouble breastfeeding (well, I knew that wasn't going to happen with this child). I went to Target and bought almost every brand of soother available, and she rejected them all. A large waste of sterilizing. And soothers.

Then I went the 'lovey' route. There have been a parade of items that have hung out in her crib for a short while, only to be pitched out, or completely ignored. For many of these items I was the one who was emotionally attached - the little blankey her Datti knitted for her, the teddy bear that Maymuna picked out for her and gave her at the hospital after she was born, the stuffed lion my friend Kathleen got her when she came to visit us in Minneapolis, the little white lamb that my mother brought for her... It goes on and on. I even tried leaving my pyjama top in there with her because I heard that sometimes babies get attached to their mother's clothing because of scent etc. No luck.

Why was I going through so much trouble, you ask? Because I began to suspect... around 6 months ago... that I was Hafsa's lovey object. And, because most of this 'loving' involved nursing, her soother too. Not conducive to getting a full night's sleep, let me tell you.

Well, it seems that Hafsa's lovey has been found. My parents gave Maymuna a Curious George doll when we were in Ottawa in December. I had a Curious George stuffed monkey as a child, and George has had a bit of a comeback due to the movie and my parents saw this doll and thought it would be nice for Maymuna who enjoys the books etc. We accidentally left it in Ottawa (it was hidden for fear of losing it, or sharing it - far worse in a 3 year old's book) and George was sent to us via airmail last week... and guess who took a liking to him. Typical that she would become instantly attached to something of Maymuna's. I should have thought about that before and had Maymuna snuggle up with that lamb or something to entice Hafsa's affection for it, but that's of no consequence now. It's too late. Hafsa wants George.

So we have a shared custody situation at this point. Maymuna gets Monkey if she's watching the Curious George cartoon that's on the PBS station here at 5 o'clock. Hafsa gets Monkey uh... the rest of the time.

Here is Hafsa and her new partner in crime.