ode to elmo...

So as I continue to think about things that I am thankful for, I can't forget to be thankful for Griffin's blue blanket and Elmo.

In most family dynamics the mom is the one that kids instinctively run to when they are sick, hurt, having a bad day, scarred and so. Dad's mean fun, play, sometimes discipline...these are they way things run in our house, however, sometimes mom and dad are just not enough. Griffin had a pacifier, but we he turned one, we took that away ( great birthday present..), but immediately following that he naturally clung to this blanket, now called blue blankie. I call it his Linus blanket (you know, from Charlie Brown). This is also the time that he began his obsession with Elmo. He has this stuffed Elmo that I had picked up along the way and held onto for several year for the day that I had kids, and was that a great decision or what.

Elmo is really like a third child during the day...Griffin feeds him snacks...Elmo has in own pillow in his bead, and we have to tuck Elmo in to bed...Elmo is now a "big" monster and goes on the big boy potty...sometimes Griffin has to put Elmo in timeout, but Elmo always says sorry and gives a hug to get out...Griffin and Elmo crawl up on our bed in the morning, on the morning that he is still tired they will crawl under the covers...on the mornings that he is really awake, they both are lions that say "roar" really loud to get mom up...

And this blue blankie, gets chewed on, hugged, used a real blanket, used to play peek-a-boo with McKenna, used as a superman cape, used to hid behind when he knows he has broken a rule...

But most important these two treasures have been with Griffin on all his hospital visits, been on an airplane, been to Indiana, California and Nevada, they have been to Grandma and Grandpa's, they have been on several car rides, they have been to Phoenix Children's hospital when he was getting tested for Cystic Fibrosis and they have to keep redoing the test, they will be Griffin when he gets his tonsil in a few short weeks...these are the things that Griffin clings to for comfort, security, protection and love when mom and dad are just not enough.