YaYa!

How do I even begin to explain YaYa and what it means to our baby girl?? This very special “lovey” is Ella Rae’s most precious and treasured possession. I purchased YaYa in 2008 while at Yellow Daisy Festival with a friend. I brought it home hoping it was something she would want to cuddle with…perhaps it was for my own comfort, especially for times when I needed to leave her for childcare at church, with the babysitter or preschool. Somehow knowing she would have something to hold from home, just made my heart hurt less. Well…it worked and soon YaYa was loved dearly! Why YaYa you ask? She was barely talking and I guess couldn’t say lovey (which is what we were saying) so one day she said YaYa and it stuck! This tattered 10 by 10 little blanket was once a beautiful shade of purple, but now it’s a lovely shade of gray and Ella Rae will even tell you, "it’s my gray YaYa."

When she’s sad – she wants YaYa…when she sleeps – she wants YaYa! For sleeping, YaYa is placed flat on her pillow (silky side up) so she can put her face against the soft side. I know one day soon we will need to say goodbye to our beloved YaYa, but for now we will continue to hang on to this little gray, shabby, cozy blanket for a bit longer! (I’m sure she’d be fine...but I’m not sure I’m ready!)