The Wright Five: April 2011

From around the age of 15 months or so our boys have a favorite blanket. I believe the attachment started with Tommy. He's the more tactile of the two and before requiring this blue striped blanket he had a stuffed dog, and a bear toy that was important. I think Ben just followed Tommy's example. Now a good fraction of my day is spent locating blue blankets. Often they're left behind in their bed or under the table. Thomas looks for his when he's tired, upset, or needs something to hold when watching TV. I've even recently sewed the tag back on as he's rubbed the stitching loose. Even Rachel knows the importance of this blue blanket to Thomas. When she wants some attention from her brother she swipes it and trots off leaving him going "Bwahhh! My blue blanket!"

Ben modeling.

Recently something in the laundry basket caught my eye. I realized that there's more than two "security blankets" around here. There is a textile that has existed before my time, it's origin unknown to me. Perhaps it has just always been. It makes it's appearance several times a week if not daily. It's been washed countless times. For many of the big and small events in my life it's been there. It's been captured in photos predating the ones shown here, before we were digital. My earliest memory of it would be Fall of 1999, with it (and him) standing in my college doorway being worn with tattered shorts and snowboard socks and those blue eyes. The whole package quite charming to me. Like an old soldier I'm sure it will never die. It will probably just fray away to nothing. The fibers holding it together will simple fail and it will blow away in the wind....