The End of the Blankie Era in the Trenches

All 3 of my boyz had security blankets.

Eldest's was light blue, with a satin trim, monogrammed with his name, birthdate and a Precious Moments character.  Eldest stopped sucking his thumb at around 20 months old, and eventually gave up the Blanket in kindergarten, I think.  It is now packed lovingly in a box at the top of his closet for future blackmail when he's a surly teen with a girlfriend I don't approve of.

Middle's blanket was light green with a satin trim.  He also gave up the thumb and blankie, only a little later in life like last year.  Nonetheless, his blanket also was packed lovingly in a box and is high atop a closet shelf.

Blanket Boyz

And then there's Baby:  *sigh*

Who, uh, at 7 years of age, has showed NO signs of stopping the thumb OR the ratty blanket. 

Until this past weekend.

Our next door neighbor, whom Baby LOVES, was leaving to start her junior year at college.  She came over to say goodbye and remarked that man, she'd love to have Baby's blanket to keep her warm at college, you know?

And holy sh*t, he gave it to her.  Without hesitation.

So then Hubby and I were the ones having second thoughts.

Me:  "Is she really taking it with her?  Like, that was a joke, right?  She'll give it back to us before she goes?  You know, in case of emergency?"

Hubby:  "I don't know...I think she's really taking it.  Plus I gave him five bucks for being such a big boy."

Me:  "Yeah, well that five dollars isn't gonna help us at 3am when he wants his damn blanket back."

But as it turns out, he has been FINE. 

Don't get me wrong, he IMMEDIATELY found a replacement blanket in the form of the M&M soft blanket that was on the end of his bed.  But the thumb sucking has decreased, and I'm not tripping over the M&M blanket because it pretty much stays in one place.

This is a good thing!

Right!  Right?

Then why do I feel a niggling sense of loss?  A tiny nugget of wistfulness.  A sense of melancholy.

Because my children aren't babies anymore.  With blankets and thumbs and soooo much dependence on me.  We're past that now.

And ooof, it kinda hurts.