LOVE AFFAIR

She was a newborn when she fell in love and it was like nothing we have ever seen.  The way she looked when she learned to manipulate them was priceless.

She cooed and giggled when she played with them, never, ever letting one out of her site.

We often referred to her as 'Maggie' and if you are familiar with the longest running show on television, then you know who I am talking about.  You could hear her all the way in the other room... SUCK... SUCK... SUCK.

She wasn't content unless she had at least four of them with her at all times. Especially at night, when she would put one on her finger, one in her mouth and two over her eyes. She often looked like she was getting a spa treatment in her crib.

Bob and I encouraged the relationship because it would keep her calm, entertain her and cut down on the noisy whining that occurred if she didn't have them.

When she and I co-slept they were the perfect snooze button. She would whimper... I would fumble around to find one, plug it in her mouth and she was good for another ten minutes of snoozing.


As time passed the relationship grew stronger.  Bob and I got a little worried. "Do you think we should stop this?" I'd ask him on a regular basis.  "Nah, she'll figure it out... it's just a phase."  We let it go.  Meanwhile, we admired the bond she had formed at such a young age.


The love affair didn't seem to wane after time... it only grew stronger.  No matter where we went, she had to have them. It got to the point that if we forgot to bring them with us she would have a breakdown. It was an extra effort to make sure we always had them with us. We kept them in the glove compartment, our coat pockets, purse, diaper bag; you name it. We had them stashed so she would never be without.

When they ALL went missing we played a game. Theflashlights came out and the search was on. We had contests to see how many we could find.  We would clap and march and celebrate when we examined our collection at the end of our search.


And then... it was time. It was time to for her to quit the relationship.  She didn't like the idea of change. What would she do at night time, when she was daydreaming in her bed just before sleep?  What would she do in the car? How would she manage?  We felt bad that we had to start putting the breaks on this love affair. She was just getting too old.

We marked the calendar for December 26th, 2009.  That was the day that the affair would end. We talked about it and referred to this day often. We wanted her to know how serious we were about her ending her affair.  She would pout when we brought it up. She would sometimes be proud that, yes, indeed, she was going to give them up!


On December 26th, 2009 we collected all of them. We put them in a Tupperware bowl on the shelf.  She didn't blink an eye. She was ready to move forward without regret or hesitation.  Bob and I shook our heads in disbelief? "She is so strong" I said to Bob. After I said that I realized, it was our love affair.  It was everything 'baby.'  It represented her infancy and toddler years. We rarely saw her without them. It was harder on us than it was on her! I actually cried when I realized she had moved on without a blink... and we were the ones holding on... so tightly.

She hasn't looked back and it was a love affair we will never forget.