Jackson’s Blanket

It’s not often that I purchase a book. I have to really, really want the book and it has to be special. We enjoy going to the library and I always get new books to read {there’s a certain comfort in know that no matter how much the kids enjoy a book and we read it over and over— in 28 days the book will be due and I’ll be done!}. But while at the library on Monday, a certain book on the shelf caught my eye and as soon as I picked it up, I knew I’d end up buying a copy. It’s a book called Jackson’s Blanket by Nancy Cote.

We’ve read it at least ten times since we checked it out on Monday. Every time we finish, he asks to read it again. And we certainly can’t read it without Jackson’s blankets snuggled up close!

It starts out:

Jackson loves his blanket
all fuzzy, soft and worn.
He’s had that little blanket
since the day that he was born.

He takes it to his grandma’s house,
he takes it out to play.
To the doctor’s, on vacation,
it’s with him night and day.

Jackson wears it as a cape,
he uses it to slide.
To carry toys,
a place where he can hide.

It was seriously so surreal to read this book that describes MY Jackson and his blanket so precisely!! It’s like Nancy Cote wrote this book for us! {The book is written for a boy named Jackson Gleason; how crazy that it’s so close to our name too!}.

I decided to look through all of my pictures last night and I just enjoyed it so much that I wanted to share the story of OUR Jackson’s blanket!

Jackson has had his blanket since before he was born! I received it as a gift at a baby shower. I promise you that it’s so fuzzy and soft—Derek took a break from looking through the gifts to snuggle with it himself!

As a baby, he played on/with the blanket!

The blanket traveled with us to California when he was just five months old.

And as he got a little bigger, he loved sleeping with his blanket.

Around ten months, it totally dawned on me how much he really loved his blanket. Whenever he would see it, he’d fall head first into snuggle with it, like in this little video clip.

So, I rushed to Target to pick up another one. It’s not the exact same, but it’s from the same line. You can see it here as Jackson celebrates his first birthday—blanket it tow!

It was with him during our hospital visit due to croup.

And to his very first movie, Toy Story 3

He takes it with him everywhere… like his first Chiefs game.

And on our trip to visit Daddy for his graduation from basic training.

It was there when we celebrated Jackson’s second birthday.

He especially loves his blanket when he’s sick…

He used his blanket to practice taking care of a baby before Belle was born.

When Belle was itty bitty, Jackson would cover her up to keep her warm.

The blanket came camping with us!

And just like the book said—Jackson’s blanket makes a fun cape…  

…or a place to hide {like when I woke Jackson up early to make it to a doctor’s appointment at Children’s Mercy}

Back when I’d rock Jackson to sleep each night, he would contemplate if he wanted the blanket on my shoulder for him to lay his head on, or if he wanted it wrapped around his back. And he’s really particular that the soft side be touching his skin. He still carries his blanket out of bed each morning and we’ll snuggle.

Jackson fell asleep right next to the blanket book last night.

And I kid you not… this is how we found Jackson when we woke up this morning. Blankets: required; Clothes: optional.

Now, the only problem is this—the Jackson in the book ends up finding a kitten who he shares his blanket with. Our Jackson is now asking for a cat. I tried getting him to pretend with several different stuffed animals, but his reply, “No, I want a REAL kitten!” Oh geez…

{and seriously, Jackson seems so big after looking at all those pictures of him as a baby!! How did it happen so quickly?!”}