Quack Quack Deetee

It’s been a long time now, since Mr. Trouble on Feet chose this duck blanket to be his special comfort item.  My mom actually sewed the blanket for Mr. Sneaky Pants, and it’s been around the block because The Banana used it frequently too, although she preferred her “nice” blankies, blankets made of fleece with a silky ribbon edge.  We have a few blankets just like this duck blanket.  Some have stars.  One has chickens on it.  He likes those blankets too, but this one, this blue and yellow duck blanket is very, very special.  There is NO substitution for this well loved flannel.

He was just discovering ducks and just starting to try to make sounds that stood for words and he realized he could say “quack” (pronounced more like “kak”) when he made the association that there were  ducks on this flannel blanket.  Ducks!  There’s been no looking back since, and from that day forward the blanket has been consistently referred to around here as “Quack Quack Deetee.”  It goes everywhere.  Everywhere.  In the car.  Outside.  Around the house.  Naps and bedtime cannot happen without Quack Quack Deetee.  All the big kidlets know to keep their eyes open for this blanket, because you never know when you might need it, and fast.

Quack Quack Deetee is snuggled and loved nearly to pieces.  It is truly amazing how dirty and smelly this thing gets, and we have to be extremely creative about getting it down to the washing machine for the two hours it takes to wash and dry it.  All of Quack Quack Deetee is loved, but the corners are extra special.  The corners have been gnawed on until they have become threadbare.  Stained an awful shade of brown from use, repeatedly being soaked in saliva and then dragged through who knows what, when comfort is needed the corners are called to action.

When we are out and about, Mr. TOF is anxious to get back to Quack Quack Deetee.  He so looks forward to reunification with the blankie that it’s no trouble to leave even his favorite places, like the library, if someone just mentions that we need to find Quack Quack Deetee.  It would be ridiculous to read a book without Quack Quack Deetee on our lap, and if there’s a scraped knee or a bonk, there is great sorrow until Quack Quack Deetee is on the scene.

Sometimes it almost seems like Quack Quack Deetee has its own personality.