Zizi

Did you have a special blanket growing up? Mine was called "Kitty Blanket" because it had little kittens in the scene. I know, really original, right? My mom still has each of our "blankies" from when we were little, stored in a special chest.

Before Boo was born, JB's grandma gave her a darling blanket for a shower present. It was pale pink with satin all around the edge, cute flowers and Peter Rabbit embroidered on the corner, along with Boo's name. Boo started sleeping through the night and "snugging" her little blanket at a very young age (for which we were grateful). She's slept with it ever since, and it's her good friend. Unfortunately, she also habitually sucks her thumb when in the presence of her blanket (for which we are NOT grateful). Somewhere along the way, she named her blanket "ZIZI". Like many nicknames our family creates, it morphed from Blanket, blankie, blankeezz, ZIZI.


Much like a checklist for a big event, the Zizi is THE most important item. It's like our third child. "Do we have Zizi? Okay, then we can go."



This is how it looks today. Poor Zizi.

The pale pink is now dingy. The satin on the edges is almost all gone - one straggly edge, still clinging to the seam. It gets frequent washings, but still looks dirty.

Although the embroidery is all still intact, the little Peter Rabbit has "hopped" through greener pastures, if you know what I mean!

This is the best feature of Zizi. The tag. The little satin string you see hanging is the "handle" to the Zizi. It's been sewn back into place once. Boo scratches her fingernail along the tag "scratch, scratch, scratch". If I ever go blind, I'll be able to find her.

Although we try to keep track of Zizi, it has been left a few times - at Nana's, at the library, in Dad's car, etc. Yesterday we went to two libraries in search of unreserved books. Both trips were short, rushed and very stressful. When we arrived home and got settled, Boo started to inquire after Zizi. I thought it was still in the car and sent her out to look for it. She came back, whining that it wasn't in there. I looked all over the house, SURE that I had seen her bring it in. I wasn't very happy about the thoughts of hunting down a Zizi amongst the shelves of books at TWO separate libraries!

Exasperated, I said, "I think Zizi's lost!" Her little face crumbled, lower lip quivered and she came completely to pieces! "We have to go n' find it! I NEED it! Let's get in the car and go GET it! Pleeease!" I made one last-ditch lap around the house, silently praying that we would find it, and there it was in the office. I gave her the lecture about keeping track of her stuff, and then she said, "Well...(sniffle) I think I just need to go (sob) lay down in my crib for a while (sniffle, sob)." It's like the trauma just took it all out of the poor kid. She slowly walked upstairs, climbed into her crib and just lay there, snugging Zizi. Reunited with her thought-lost friend.

Zizi, if you can hear me...please don't ever get lost. I don't think we could take it.

Love,
Amy