Going, going, gone....

When we first saw Jack in person, he was sucking on his right hand fingers. When he was a baby, he did it all the time. Over time, it just became when he was tired and ready to go to sleep. And it came with this noise that I can't describe in words, but I can hear it in my head. About 2 months ago, I realized that Jack doesn't make that noise anymore -- it was gone. And I couldn't for the life of me, remember the last time I heard it or when he stopped doing it.

When we were with Jack in Kokshetau, we brought a couple blankets and he attached to one of them; naming it may-may (once he could talk). It became his lovey... and we bought a second one just in case something ever happened to the first one.

And so became this image of Jack -- sucking the four fingers on his right hand, while with his left hand, holding the special corner of may-may up to his nose. This picture was taken one morning in August with my sister.

That was just 2 months ago....

Going are Jack's naps. He no longer naps when he is at school 2 days a week and it is hit and miss if he naps at day care or on the weekends.

I've noticed, esp. on the days when he does not nap, that at bedtime, he is exhausted and falls asleep before we even leave his room. And as I watch my baby fall alseep, he no longer sucks his four fingers... and although his may-mays are next to him, he doesn't hold may-may up to his nose.

Are the days of my baby needing the comfort of sucking and security blankets gone? And why does it make me so sad?