Trademark.

My little boy- Little Jon (LJ) is 16 months old. Since he was born he has been attached to his pacifier and a blankie. It was obvious he would like to hold things as he came out of the womb clenched to the umbilical cord for dear life. The Dr. had to actually pry his little fingers away.
We knew we were a paci family before he was born because LJ's big sister had a paci when she was little. We had planned to make LJ a paci boy as we like the idea we can take away a paci and we can not take away a thumb or a finger. Little did we know we would not only be a paci family but a combo-paci & blankie family. I was not prepared to tote a blankie with me every where we went! We have been smart about our blankies though; we have introduced little man to a variety of blankies from the beginning. For fear the dreaded blankie get lost like so many a paci have!
Little man likes to put his own spin on the pacifier though. Literally. Since we can remember, our boy, has liked to suck on his paci upsidedown. At first we would gently turn it around. Flip. Back upsidedown it would go! We eventually came to understand he didn't mind it that way-he actually preferred it this way. Although we have gotten used to it and know that this -as we call it,is his "trademark". Many a stranger or fellow church member has been quite bothered by the fact that he insist on keeping it in the wrong way! I however love that it shows his individuality at such a young age!
Tonight as I was rocking him to sleep, he made me want to write about this trademark. He was being rocked gently with his paci,of course, upsidedown. When his blankie started to slip slowly off of his lap and away from the grasp of his little fingers. He immediately stirred and began to awaken. Eyes closed still, he frantically moved his hands all over searching for the blankie. I placed it gently up by his cheek and he sighed,grasped his blankie tightly, nestled in again, settled right down, sucked a few more times on his upsidedown paci and fell peacefully asleep again. Sweet dreams baby boy, sweet dreams.