Le lapin

When I was pregnant with Oliver, I found this plush Nici monkey that I'd given to Wes at some point.  Along with a super soft blue Little Giraffe blanket, that was his lovie (aptly named Lovie).  When I was pregnant with Emmeline, I found a sheep (named Baa).  Her little chair and swing were a lamb, too, and then my mom gave her this purple one-piece outfit with a ruffle butt that had a lamb on it.  She also got a super soft pink Little Giraffe blanket. Oliver never really bonded with Lovie but does love his blanket.  His real lovie is his Cookie Monster doll that his Grandma Kay gave him.  Emmeline has bonded with not only Baa but every other animal in her bed and in the house, including the dog.  She snuggles at night not with her pink blanket but the afghan Grandma Neiheisel made her.

A few weeks ago, after the adoption judgment had come through, I decided it was time to get Zola her blanket and lovie.  I found this bunny rabbit and got a matching caramel colored Little Giraffe blanket.  Then last week I was in a store and saw this adorable shirt by Peek.  It had a bunny on it and said "lapin," which I somehow knew was French for rabbit.  So Zola will be our little bunny with her own Lapin for a lovie.

Hurray home, baby girl.  We're getting all ready for you.

Baa, Baa -- Not my sheep

I recently got the baby's lovey in the mail (from Australia).  It's a sheep named Baa.  Oliver was very interested when he saw it and thought it was for him.  "Mine," he said, carrying it around cuddled to his shoulder.  And then I realized the teaching tool that Baa would become.  "Not Oliver's sheep," I said.  "Baby sister's sheep."  Now, this is a hard thing for a two-year-old.  To have to give up rights to a new and very fuzzy sheep for someone he can neither see nor hear.  But we persevered nonetheless.  Oliver put the sheep in the baby's crib willingly that night, but he goes to visit it every day.  Sometimes I let him hold it for a minute (the baby is sharing, I guess), but I always remind him, "Baby sister's sheep."  He repeats the sentiment, but his pronunciation of "sheep" makes him sound like a Frenchman swearing.

This morning, though, he came upstairs to where I was working, went into the nursery, looked in the crib, and said thoughtfully, "Baby sister's sheep."  We'll see if he can remember that once she's here.