Not In Kansas Anymore (NIKA)

The Security Blanket?

You may have seen the pictures of Dorothy with a new toy. It's an AquaDoodle. The AquaDoodle is a pretty ingenious little product - it's a drawing pad with pen, but the "ink" is just plain water. The material on the mat turns blue when it's wet, and then goes back to white as it dries. This allows Dorothy to have fun with scribbling, and we don't have to worry about her sucking on the pen (which she does) or drawing on the walls, cats, us, etc. (she does). The felt-tip pen is easy to refill with a bit of water. It also comes with a stamp pad and stamps (in simple geometrical shapes) - just pour a bit of water on the pad, and it's good to go.

Dorothy does enjoy drawing on/with her new toy, but the drawing pad seems more like a security blanket at times. She'll drag the pad (and the felt pen) around everywhere when she feels like it. And when she wants it, she does not want to let go for anything. She was home with a babysitter for a few hours recently, and she fell asleep on the floor clutching it, and wouldn't let go even in her sleep. Luckily, the times when she absolutely wants it don't last too too long, and don't happen too often.