Where's WaWa?

Last night, we were defeated once again by an unwanted game of "Where's WaWa" that our little cubs take great joy in torturing us with. To understand the logistics of "Where's WaWa", you first need a brief history of the WaWa.

When Liam (now 5) was just weeks old, one of my friend's sent us little blue dog-shaped blankie -- you might call it a lovey or a security blanket or, as we called it, a "woobie."  Liam instantly took to his "woobie" and we violated every rule in the book as we peered into his basinette, watching him sleep... with his beloved woobie OVER HIS FACE.  We knew that we weren't supposed to put anything in our newborn's bed.  We knew the SIDS police would have us arrested... and probably should have!  However, since we hadn't slept for more than three hours at a stretch for at least six weeks, we were exhausted and we were desperate.  So, we left Liam with his woobie and we all slept through the night. 

Liam slept with that woobie on his head for years -- and, when he started to talk, one of his first words was "WeeWee."  We were confused at first but quickly figured out that "WeeWee" was "woobie" and before we knew it, the name stuck.

Then along came Ciara... who, after many sleepless nights, finally got a WeeWee of her own.  Hers was a little pink lamb and she took to it instantly... like Liam, she put the thing on her head and effortlessly went off to the land of nod.  It worked like a charm and we chuckled for months over the admittely bad joke that Ciara was the only girl on the block with a WeeWee... until, of course, she started to talk and one of her first words was "WaWa."  No WeeWees for this young lady! 

Everytime we left the house, instead of last minute checks like "is the oven off? did you lock the door? do you have the diaper bag?"  Des and I always asked "do you have WeeWee and WaWa?!" ... because we knew that wherever we went, we would be doomed if WeeWee and WaWa weren't along for the ride.

Fast forward to the birth of triplets.  Frankly, I've always been pacifier-averse because selfishly, I don't want to be getting up ten times a night to pop the binky back in the baby's -- or in this case, babies' -- mouth!  As you might imagine, to us WaWa's equal sleep and as such, they were on the top of our wish list when the cubs were born.  Thankfully, this wish was granted.  Kevin took to his "Puppy WaWa", Declan to "Monkey WaWa" and Cormac to "Lion WaWa."  All three of them blissfully suc,k snuggle, chew and cuddle their WaWas as they drift off to sleep.  It was all going really well until a few months ago when they started to play "Where's WaWa?" well after the midnight hour. 

As they toss and turn and flail about as only a baby can, their WaWa's get "lost" -- maybe it's at the top of the crib while they're at the bottom.  Maybe it's fallen -- or, more likely, been pushed -- through the crib slats.  Maybe it's tucked between the crib slats and the wall.  Wherever WaWa may be, if it's not safely ensconced beneath a snoozing cub, that cub is wide awake and wailing... and will not rest until WaWa has been returned. 

Much to my dismay, we're now up at various points in the night goin' on a WaWa hunt. Des has been known to mumble in sleep-deprived stupor "Can't they find their own f-ing WaWAs?!!"  while I shamefully pretend to be sleeping.  Bottom line, perhaps a paci would have been eaiser but, more often than not, the WaWas still equal sleep... for at least a few hours.  And, while I certainly don't enjoy our games of "Where's WaWa" at 3AM, I have a funny feeling that it just might be one of the things I end up missing.  Until then, I look forward to the day these guys start to talk and come up with a name of their own for their sweet bedtime buddies.  

In case you'd like to introduce your little one to the joys of the WaWa, you can buy one at:
http://www.kookoobearkids.com/Blue-Lamb-Snuggle-Friend-Blanket/productinfo/00050015BL/