Motherhood Mondays: How long did you have a lovey?

Did you have a lovey when you were little? Growing up, my sister had a lamb, I had a teddy bear, and my brother had...a piece of women's lingerie. Seriously, my brother's blankie was a torn piece of a blue silk slip. He just liked the silky feel. My mom would put it in the freezer so it felt cold when he fell sleep (although then it also smelled like fish).

But how long do loveys last? When my friend was expecting her first baby, she packed her stuffed polar bear in the hospital bag. "My husband thinks I'm crazy for taking 'Pola' to the hospital," she told me. "But I need him there with me!"

Recently, I read this fascinating Momfilter post about lovey expiration dates. Pilar (who, incidentally, is the editor in chief of Martha Stewart Living) revealed that her sweet four-year-old son was still obsessed with his doggie blanket (or, as she called it, "his great enduring love.") Her husband objected to his son's attachment, but Pilar, who had mixed feelings, wrote, "When I watch the blankie-thumb nirvana that washes over him, I wonder how anyone can argue with that."

A commenter added: "My eight-year-old still sleeps with his fuzzy...I still see that perfect joy when he climbs into bed and sees it like it's a surprise (really? You didn't know it would be there?)...Husbands have a way of 'manning up' our boys, sometimes as a knee-jerk response. Whenever my husband does this I always say, 'Let's go call your mother and ask what you did as a child.' That usually takes care of it."

Fascinating all around. What about you? Did you have a lovey? For how long? Do you still tuck it under your pillow? Do your children have loveys? How long do you think it's OK for them to remain attached to them? As long as they'd like, or should they be encouraged to pack it away at a certain age? I'd love to hear your thoughts...
(Photos by Our Labor of Love)

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