Worn, but still a comfort

These pitiful little creatures were at one time precious, white little lambs. 
The boys received them for their dedication from a very good friend.  At the time the boys, just a month old,  slept in the same crib.  So both lambs were in the crib with them.  Along with two soft and tiny baby blankets, each with the boys name monogrammed on it.  Those were from Mimi and Pawpaw.
Well it didn't take long for the boys to decide who preferred what.
Ryan liked the lammies(he always called them that)and Matthew the blankies(that is what he called them).  And so it all came about that Ryan held both lammies and Matthew both blankies.
These little lammies never left this child's hands as he slept.(same with Matthew and the blankies)
And while awake they were right beside him.  And maybe in his hands.  They were a comfort to him.  And apparently still are.
Ryan came to me today and had both lammies.  He doesn't sleep with them anymore, but still takes them out from time to time.  He said, "Momma, will you rub my back with my lammies"? 
Here lately Ryan has wanted me to rub his back more often.   Especially in the mornings when that brace comes off.  Each morning when he wakes up the very first thing he wants is to get out of his brace.
I take the brace off and peel the skin tight brace shirt off his warm little body.  He then rolls over and begs to have his back rubbed, touch, scratched and tickled.  Something touching his back. 
I can only imagine how good that must feel after sleeping all night without being able to touch his back.
So today I rubbed his back with these little lammies that have given him such comfort over the years. They are worn, but still a comfort to him.
They made it to every cast change.  A series of 6 casts over 14 months!  These lammies went to the OR with Ryan six times.  All the nurses would make comments about how worn they were, but how much Ryan needed them at every cast change.  And they gladly took them with him.
I can remember having nightmares visions the night before cast change day that I had left them at home.  So as I would sneak him out in the wee hours(we had to leave some times at 5AM)to drive to Dallas I made certain I had his lammies.  Can you imagine what a cast day would have been like without them?!?

Here are those sweet lammies.  This was his first cast.  It was quite rugged and his doctor was still learning to say the least.  You fellow CAST Moms can see just how different his casts were from a "Mehta" cast in the beginning.  No clue what the second window is for in the front.  I was still learning at that time too. :)

And there they are again....I think this was at his 6th and finally cast application.  He was waiting to go to the OR.  He really had no clue exactly what was about to happen, but by his sixth cast he knew this hospital was not the happy place.

But those lammies sure did bring him comfort. 

And five years later they are still bringing him comfort.  Comfort rubbing his spine....funny they are still helping him with his back after all these years.

 So my advice to any Mom of a young child that has a lovie, lammie, blankie...whatever they call it, do not get rid of them just yet.  You never know when they can still bring your child some joy.

They may be worn, but there is still comfort left in them.