As soon as the Investigator and our placement agency left our house, I found myself in the middle of Wal-Mart at 11:30pm with Amanda wide awake in the cart. Usually at 11:30pm, I am fast asleep in bed but this time, it was just the two of us trying to stock up on baby stuff to make it through the night. I didn’t have time to be selective and compare prices, brands or read consumer reports on toddler beds. It was late, I was tired and I wanted to get a few essentials and go home quickly.
I came home with a pack n play, toddler bed, diapers, toys and a few clothes. She was still wide awake, looking all around her new environment. My husband put everything together and she eventually went to sleep.
I don’t think it was until 2:00 a.m. before my husband and I went to bed. We were both excited and overwhelmed. I stayed up preparing for the next day, trying to remember how to make baby cereal and cleaning bottles and sippy cups for her first feeding in the morning. It had been almost six years since I had a little one in the house and it started to all come back.
We have some great toys that will help her develop and I thought for sure she’d like this new toy I bought for her during my late night shopping spree. It was a cute little purple elephant with a rattle, crunchy little toes and ears.
However, she preferred the straw. Yes, the cheap little drinking straw you can get at the grocery store or a fast food restaurant. She clinched the straw so hard; I couldn’t even try to pry it from her hands if I wanted to. No matter how much I tried to entice her with her new toys, she remained steadfast to her straw. I remember her Investigator telling us she really liked drinking straws, she was telling the truth! She will even take the drinking straw out of my cup if it’s near her. She takes the straw with her everywhere!
We have had some wonderful people in our lives surround us with support and encouragement and bring us toys or clothes their children no longer need to help Amanda. We also have a very caring daycare we work with who supports us like family. So many people want to help Amanda have the best start and so many have helped in numerous ways and we are very thankful for all of the special people in our life.
While she still loves her drinking straw, she is slowing giving into accepting toys like her pink doll and her purple elephant! I will continue to carry about a dozen straws in my diaper bag. I know it sounds odd to carry straws in your diaper bag but it works for us!
What simple items did your kids focus on?
Christy Benson is director of Clinical Informatics Analysis & Measurement for Texas Health Resources, Mom to two boys and foster Mom.
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