The Amber Necklace

This evening, Knox came up to me after dinner, in the middle of our movie night and asked that I take off his necklace. Internally, my heart sank, but I obliged, unscrewed the clasp, and asked why he didn't want it on. He didn't give a clear reason, or if he did - I was still processing the question to pay attention... but I told him if he changed his mind to let me know, and I'd put it back on. I glanced at Sam, who was also feeling the sadness I was. We knew this moment was coming, and to be honest, it took a year longer to arrive than I anticipated. 

When Knox was 10-months-old, he was having major sleep issues. Well past the age of needing midnight feeds, past the 2-week-long hell that was breaking his first tooth, and past my breaking point of being able to handle little sleep, I looked for ANY aid. I had heard people mention that amber necklaces could give comfort to little ones who may be teething or having other pains. Apparently, the warmth of the body released some kind of magic and unleashed endless benefits to a suffering, sleepless baby. Not one to "believe" in the powers of ancient voodoo, I was reluctant to succumb to my internal eye rolls and purchase an amber necklace at the old Nappy Shop nearby. I swore I'd never put a string of beads around my infant's neck, presenting a choking hazard into my child's crib at night (or any other time, for that matter). Who could possibly buy into this crazy, hippie, granola B.S? But, alas, delirium had set in, and I was making a purchase - along with essential oils, teething beads, and Punkin Butt Teething Oil. I know I exited the store with a loss of pride but a lot of hope. 

I put these beads of doom around my 10-month-old baby's neck, hoping I wasn't about to create a death trap as everyone had warned. I went to bed that night with the same amount of anxiety I had when I put my babies to bed on their bellies and not their backs for the first night as newborns. (Yes, this cautious mother ignored every warning out there and did what she knew was right for her kids. Judge me.) Sam and I weren't expecting any kind of miracle, but lo and behold... our boy slept. For the first time in we couldn't remember when, Knox slept soundly through the entire night. 

We never took the necklace off. He never had a sleep issue again. 

Except, about 10 months later, around 20-months-old or so, Knox started getting a rash around his neck. I started to think the necklace was too tight. I went back to the Nappy Shop to buy a longer amber necklace. When the woman behind the counter asked me why I wanted a different one, I explained what I was seeing on Knox's neck. She said he really shouldn't need a different size for years. She advised taking the necklace off of him, cleaning it really with a toothbrush, soap, and water, and allowing the sun to dry it. Apparently, this would "recharge" whatever mystic material gets released by body heat. So, I went home and did as she said. But, I forgot to grab the necklace from outside before Knox went to bed. That night, Knox had a horrible night. I remember sitting in the dark with Sam wondering what to do to get our toddler back to sleep. Sam, the skeptic, said, "Get that necklace back on him and never take it off again!"

The following day, we got the necklace back on him. And, it hasn't come off one time until tonight.

It's become a part of Knox. Literally, it's been everywhere with him. I never fully believed his sleeping was due to the amber necklace, but we never wanted to "jinx" it again. So, it's stayed a part of him, and I couldn't bear the thought of taking it off of him when it had become his style. It looks cool, and it is so him. Just like the little tuft of hair that grew behind his right ear from the day he was born until his first haircut, this is part of Knox. 

So, on this second night in over 3 years that our boy will go to sleep without his amber around his neck, I felt we owed it to the necklace to pay tribute, to say thank you, to embrace the adventures it's seen with our youngest son. The first days of school, the doctor's appointments, the swim lessons, the family holidays, the vacations, the play dates, the parties, the illnesses, the last days of school, the birthdays, the days at camp, the scary and funny and frustrating and silly times, every photo, every hug, every bath... you've been there with our boy, and we just want to say thank you. Thank you for the sleep! Thank you for the comfort you gave our boy. Thank you for being a part of the majority of his first 4 years. He will look different tomorrow, unless of course, he asks for you back!