It’s so hard to believe that our little Peanut just turned
one year old. He’s happy, running, and
crazy. He wears me out constantly, but
it’s so hard to imagine our lives without him.
He is all boy – going, going, going.
However, when he crashes, he crashes hard. He will flop over and
curl himself up in a ball, and then pass right out. One constant, however, is that he likes to
have his blanket with him as a lovey at naptime. He is too old to be swaddled (and never
really took to it well), but he loves to wrap his blanket around him to feel
safe.
Since I’m a little paranoid, I am choosy about what blanket
he uses at naptime (I personally don’t use them at night still until he gets
older, but that’s just a preference). A
friend had crocheted a beautiful afghan for him, but he never really took to
it. Even though I keep a close eye on
him during naptime, I still didn’t feel comfortable with the velour and thick
cotton blankets. Then, I got a chance to
use a pair of Sophie la Girafe swaddles.
(LINK)
These things are perfect for us. They’re made of super-soft muslin – thin
enough that you can almost see through them (and certainly breathe through
them), but thick enough to provide just a little warmth to a wee one. They’re huge – 47 in x 47 in square. If Peanut did let me swaddle him, they’d
still be big enough to accomplish it! As
it is, they’re a great size for when I need to nurse him in public – since it’s
his lovey, he doesn’t pull down one of the Sophie muslins like he does a
nursing cover, and it’s more than large enough to give us both privacy. It’s thin enough that neither of us are hot,
but it is thick enough to shield his eyes from the sun.
As I mentioned before, though, they are first and foremost a
lovey blanket in our household. They
have gotten softer and softer as I’ve washed them, but the adorable prints (one
giraffes, one stars) have stayed vibrant and sweet. Peanut loves the feel of his Sophie blanket
against his cheek while he cuddles, and it keeps him warm without making him
sweaty and uncomfortable.
I can’t recommend these swaddles enough! They are baby-soft for newborns, but the
muslin is strong enough to stand up to the wear and tear of a toddler. They wash well, are sweet and lovely, and
comforting.
