I still remember the tender moments spent between me and my first born while she was nursing. Unfortunately, there were some not so great moments spent pumping milk for that precious baby girl. What an awful memory that is for me - being hooked up to such a humiliating machine. I can still hear the whooshing and whirring of that awful thing. I can clearly see myself staring at a sweet picture of my baby girl in a tremendous attempt to begin lactating. Oh the things we do for children.
Then I would send these precious bottles of liquid gold with Emma Ray so my mom could feed her while I was working. Thus began her deep love for her "bobble". Some kids have a pacifier or security blanket. Some babies suck their thumb. Not mine! She loved her bottle. This love affair lasted until she was a very old three. It even carried on until she was four, but only at G's house. They had this special "secret".
Needless to say, she loved her "bobble". This was her security item. It is what she wanted any time she went to sleep. I know, not so good for the teeth. As I would rock her to sleep, she would suck her bottle and rub my ear lobe. This was the way she fell off to dreamland every day. She was very dependent on this process. That became very evident one evening while riding in the truck. As many children do, Emma Ray was getting sleepy in her car seat. She began sucking her bottle in an effort to fall asleep. Then I heard her sweet, groggy voice say, "Mommy, I need your ear." My heart simply melted. Not only had she grown accustomed to her bobble at bedtime, but she also wanted my ear. Who am I flattering though, it could be any body's ear really.
As the bobble began to affect her teeth, we realized it was time to ween her from the bobble. I mean she was about to enter kindergarten. No, not really, but she was getting a little old for the thing. Not that we had not entertained the idea before, but now we had to do it. This is not an easy thing with a strong willed child! Eventually, and actually much more smoothly than we imagined, she let go of the bobble.
I was so excited, and proud of what Casey and I had done. It was such a sense of accomplishment. UNTIL I realized she had stopped rubbing my ear when I was rocking her. You see, she had apparently given that up too. I was not ready for this. I had become very accustomed to this practice. It appeared I needed her soft touch as much as she needed my ear. This was just one of the many hard transitions to come. Oh what I wouldn't give for just one more moment of that sweet baby rubbing my ear.
Then I would send these precious bottles of liquid gold with Emma Ray so my mom could feed her while I was working. Thus began her deep love for her "bobble". Some kids have a pacifier or security blanket. Some babies suck their thumb. Not mine! She loved her bottle. This love affair lasted until she was a very old three. It even carried on until she was four, but only at G's house. They had this special "secret".
Needless to say, she loved her "bobble". This was her security item. It is what she wanted any time she went to sleep. I know, not so good for the teeth. As I would rock her to sleep, she would suck her bottle and rub my ear lobe. This was the way she fell off to dreamland every day. She was very dependent on this process. That became very evident one evening while riding in the truck. As many children do, Emma Ray was getting sleepy in her car seat. She began sucking her bottle in an effort to fall asleep. Then I heard her sweet, groggy voice say, "Mommy, I need your ear." My heart simply melted. Not only had she grown accustomed to her bobble at bedtime, but she also wanted my ear. Who am I flattering though, it could be any body's ear really.
As the bobble began to affect her teeth, we realized it was time to ween her from the bobble. I mean she was about to enter kindergarten. No, not really, but she was getting a little old for the thing. Not that we had not entertained the idea before, but now we had to do it. This is not an easy thing with a strong willed child! Eventually, and actually much more smoothly than we imagined, she let go of the bobble.
I was so excited, and proud of what Casey and I had done. It was such a sense of accomplishment. UNTIL I realized she had stopped rubbing my ear when I was rocking her. You see, she had apparently given that up too. I was not ready for this. I had become very accustomed to this practice. It appeared I needed her soft touch as much as she needed my ear. This was just one of the many hard transitions to come. Oh what I wouldn't give for just one more moment of that sweet baby rubbing my ear.
Still wrapped around her finger,
Emma Ray's Mom
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