We don’t remember who gave her the soft, part blanket/part stuffed animal appropriately named Lamby but somehow Lamby became her favorite comfort object and went with her everywhere. Our sweet baby girl would cuddle into her crib, grab Lamby, rub her face into the soft fabric and eventually fall fast asleep. As our girl became a rambunctious toddler with wild, blond, curly hair, Lamby ventured out with her. Whereas her brothers preferred staying in the stroller and looking out at the world, our girl had to interact with the world, and thus Lamby was dragged through malls, parks, and playgrounds.
We didn’t have the heart to correct her mispronunciation.
When our girl was able to come downstairs on her own in the morning, we would ask her how she slept. With her sleepy sweet eyes, and Lamby next to her cheek, she would say, “Doog!” We didn’t have the heart to correct her mispronunciation in that her version was too cute to change. One day she walked down the stairs and when her dad asked her how she had slept and she said, “Good”. He looked heartbroken. Thankfully, Lamby was in hand and she was still our little girl.
Before school each day, she would give Lamby one last snuggle. On arrival home, Lamby would get the most affectionate greeting. Lamby went to doctor’s appointments and even the hospital visit to have tonsils removed. When our pre-teen girl left for camp and a group of moms decided to save seats on the bus for their girls and not mine, Lamby took that heartbreaking 7-hour bus ride with our girl sitting in a seat with a camp counselor and tears streaming down her face. Overnight camp also brought dramatic lice infestation in which Lamby was taken from our girl in order to be cleaned and led to the first time that the two were ever separated.
Lamby stood by our girl’s side during girlfriend drama.
Lamby stood by our girl’s side during girlfriend drama, boyfriend issues, dance auditions, and ultimately the big decision to stop dancing and take on new challenges. As our girl became a teenager, I’m pretty sure that Lamby knew more about her than we did, as she would often head up to her room after school to be by herself. Lamby even accompanied us on the “pretend we are adults” spring break trip to Mexico in which our girl couldn’t quite give up her childhood object despite her best attempts at new adulthood.
Now our girl is getting ready to go to college. Her father and I are apparently not invited, but Lamby is. Our girl is a young woman. She is ready to go to college. She is ready to take on the world. But I’m not sure her father and I are ready. We see our young girl/woman seeking out her own independence, yet staying close to us as she navigates this next step in her life. She is equal parts excited and fearful. Our girl tells us that she worries about being homesick, about roommates, friends, parties, and grades. Although we know she can handle it, we worry too.
Dear Lamby, please take care of her.
So dear Lamby, please take care of her. Comfort her when she’s scared, listen when she needs to talk, give her courage when she needs it, and compassion when she struggles to find it. Lamby, do you clean rooms? We know she may need help in that area! Oh and Lamby, could you whisper in our girls ear each night that she is loved and treasured? Could you tell her that she is capable and smart and ready for any challenge that comes her way? Could you tell her that although we miss her desperately, she is exactly where she needs to be and we will be here for her whenever she needs us? One last thing, Lamby. Tell her she is better than any daughter we could have imagined and we are grateful beyond words that she’s our girl.
Love,
Lisa Kaplin Psy. D. PCC