Blankie

This is my baby girl.

She is 3 1/2 in this picture. She will be 10 three weeks from today. She made sure we knew that at breakfast this morning. It doesn't matter though. When I look at her I see the little girl in the picture. My baby girl. Maybe thats why I still tie her shoes. Unless we are running behind and then I say "You are almost 10 years old- tie your shoes right now!" She'll probably need counseling.

My point in showing you this picture is not the precious chubby cheeks, or the curls in her hair or the crown on her head which she had made that day on her first day of 3 year old preschool. Oh my....excuse me. I'll be right back. Sigh!

My point in showing you the picture is the sweet pink blanket she has tossed over her shoulder. She came home from the hospital wrapped in that blanket and sshhh don't tell but she still sleeps with it today. It is not so sweet and pink anymore. Now it looks like this.

That gray wad on the doll's lap. Same blanket. We find chunks of it around the house from time to time. I found a piece in my bed this morning. I'm afraid its days are numbered. I can't even think about it.

The blankie has certain characteristics about it:

1. We are not allowed to poke fun about the state of the blankie.

2. It is kept in a certain spot each morning. It is either where you see it in the above picture, in the keeping room chair or on her bed. Always on the dolls lap. Always.

3. While the blanket used to openly accompany her to spend the night as she has gotten older it has taken a clandestine approach to sleepovers. It is always in her bag. She may look at it but only among the best of friends would it ever come out of the bag.

I have a blankie too. Here it is.

My Bed Buddy Microwave heat pack. I love this thing like she loves her blankie. I need it when I come in from a run. It warms me up. It soothes my aching hips. It brings me comfort. I lay across my lap on cold mornings in the car. I have been known to sleep with it when my legs are sore. It eerily shares many of the same qualities of Jenny's blankie.

1.It also has seen better days. You will notice the burn marks near the handle. It caught fire one terrible day while being heated in the microwave. Shane fixed it with plastic ties and all was right again.

2.It has a special place that I keep it. It sits on the shelf between my Samford sweatshirt and my scarves. Always.

3. I am nervous about how to take it on my trip.

My guess is I won't need it until the day of the race. Then I am positive my hips, and calves and thighs and knees and feet and everything else are going to be crying out for it. Should I take it? What if the room doesn't have a microwave? What if it catches on fire? What if my lugguage gets lost? What if Jill makes fun of me?

I guess I'll do like Jenny does and just take it with me, resting in the comfort that it's in the bag if I need it.

And just so you can see that my sweet baby girl is growing into a beautiful young lady here she is now.

Now I need my Blankie again.