Lovey

Maxie slept with a monkey at our house and grandmas.  He had 4 of those "loveys" by angel dear.  You know, the ones with the animal heads and the blankie bodies?  I was told by several friends that they were breathable.  I was also told that they would be a comfort to him when he started sleeping alone in his crib in his own bedroom.  That happened when he was around 4 months old.  I wore the monkeys around in my bra for weeks so that they would smell like me to him.  Then, every night when we would lay him down to sleep, he would take the monkey and rub it on his little face.  Then, he would lie it over his face until he found the exact right place for it before passing out.  We all loved watching this little ritual on his baby video monitor.  It was so incredibly sweet.  Throughout the night, Max would travel up and down the crib, from one corner to the next, and the monkey always came with him.  He also liked to hold it in his car seat and in the stroller.  He would put it against his cheeks and tightly hold it in his tiny fists.  How I wish I had videoed the nighttime monkey ritual.  It was beyond the cutest thing ever.  I don't trust anything as breathable now.  Leviss rainbow babies can have loveys when they aren't sleeping but never, ever in the crib again.  He wasn't sleeping with his monkey when he stopped breathing at daycare, but still, I am not taking any chances at all.  It's sad, it brought Maxie so much comfort.  We actually buried him with one of the monkeys, knowing it would help him feel like we were close.  I hope it has given him some comfort.  His monkeys still give me just a little, but not nearly enough.

1 comment

Leslie K. said...

Hi Abbs,

I immediately thought of you and Ted when I read that the NYT magazine is soliciting photos that tell stories of loved ones lost during the last year. Every picture you post reveals so much about Maxie! Just thought I'd pass along...

http://submit.nytimes.com/lives-they-lived

Love,
Leslie