A seahorse morning

Poor Ella has just been feeling very cranky and sad lately. This makes for a slightly cranky and sad mama too sometimes. This morning, no matter how much I played and sang and enlisted Lucie's help, nothing but being held would stop her from fussing. I'm trying to get Ella to be able to play and be content without always needing her paci. I like to hear her little voice! But finally, I gave up. We went upstairs for the paci and the singing seahorse. Ella desperately shoved the paci in her mouth, gripped onto her seahorse for dear life and took some deep breaths. Then mama finally got over the tough love thing and we just snuggled. I think that singing seahorse soothes me too. : ) He was a gift from Paul's work buddy who is a year wiser than us since he has a little 2-year-old daughter (who also loves the singing seahorse). What a great gift! The seahorse plays soft classical music, interspersed with bubbles, and seems to be just the right shape to hold. Sometimes he can be exactly the comfort Ella needs (which is a comfort to me too!) After a few minutes of snuggling, with the aid of seahorse and paci, Ella was ready to venture off. I'm glad we have him for a friend.