:: goodbye lolo ::

Our girls are giving me a run for my money in the caring-mummy stakes these days. Their favourite occupation is to care for their babies, putting them to bed in any of the beds in our house, including all the options that are sitting out for our little baby to come. They shut all the curtains, turn off lights and speak in hushed tones, whispering "Baby sleeping!" We dare not open any curtains or turn on lights! The babies are read to, cuddled, fed, dressed, pushed around in their pushchairs and wrapped up in many blankets. I have no doubts that their little brother will be very well looked after, having three mummies to tend to his needs! Our little girls are growing up...

...which leads me to the big milestone that we have just passed this weekend. Late Saturday afternoon, rugged up in pyjamas, woollen jerseys and gumboots the girls each held one of our hands and in the other clutched envelopes containing their beloved lolos (a.k.a. lolettes/dummies/pacifiers) which were simply addressed as 'Our lolos for the babies' (someone at the Post Office is going to take a second look at those!). They bravely pushed the envelopes into the (real) post box outside the dairy and didn't really give it a second thought. That moment was probably hardest for me because I knew the tears that would come a short time later at bedtime when it was realised that the lolos had gone! I've never been hugely opposed to lolettes/dummies/pacifiers, though I had never intended to use them. Until a Neonatal nurse asked us if we minded if they gave the girls lolettes when they were in their incubators, to settle them. Seeing as we couldn't be with them 24/7 to comfort them when they needed or as we would normally at home, I didn't think twice about saying yes.

We've been prepping the girls for months and they knew where their lolos would be going and insisted they wouldn't be sad, even though I reassured them that they might feel sad and that's understandable! After a year of moving home four times, packing up and selling our possessions and leaving behind a lot of their most familiar and favourite people to come and live in New Zealand, the timing was pushed further back than we intended, for the sake of allowing them to hold onto something that comforted them through a lot of change. Now that they are three and "big girls" we decided it was the best time to go for it, before a little brother instigates another big change in their lives. Thus the trip to the postbox with the promise that the babies would leave a very special thank-you gift especially for big girls in the postbox the next morning, as well as a special lunch followed by an icecream with marshmallows, bonbons, and jellybeans (as requested!).

The change has been easier than I expected, being now Day Three. And the one I expected to find it hardest has barely mentioned her lolo, while the other has been very sad at every bedtime and even skipped two afternoon sleeps (I hope this will not become a trend!). She even said to me this afternoon before her nap "I a bit sad lolo gone away" then burst into tears! We've had a few reassurance chats about the fact that it is sad to let go of something so special, but that they are very brave to have done it. And overall they have been very very brave and we are very proud of them in what is quite a big adjustment. After generously offering to send other items to the babies, we have had to reassure the girls that only the lolos have gone, not their billies (soft bunnies), which are their most beloved possessions. Babies have their own billies, of that we're pretty sure (and thankful!) ;o)