Zachary Hearts Sheep

We got a great pack 'n play to use downstairs for diaper changes/naps. One of it's many features (Fold-down changing table! Supply caddy! Also makes julienned fries!) is a rather lame little mobile with three stuffed sheep. The mobile doesn't even spin. The sheep, though cute, just hang there. Considering Zachary won't usually tolerate being put down, we mostly used it as a changing station to save us going upstairs.

That is until we discovered that one baby's lame sheep mobile can be another baby's crack.

I was trying to soothe Zachary during his early-evening fussiness, and nothing was working. He had been fed, was dry, and I had been walking, patting, and rocking him with no success. I donned the Moby wrap, but that only made him madder. Finally I put him down in the pack n' play on the off chance that he might not want to be held right then. I tell you, the kid went from whiny to cooing in nothing flat. He was completely transfixed by the sheep.

Now, as I said, the sheep are cute enough on their own, but I realized that Zachary can't even see the sheep as sheep. We see this:

Lying in the pack n' play, Zachary sees this:

I just don't get it.

It has been suggested that it is simply the black and white pattern that he sees and enjoys...sure, okay. Whatever. The important thing is, it has worked multiple times now when all else fails. And the best thing? Miracle of miracles, today after a short episode of sheep-gazing, Zachary fell asleep in the pack n' play...all by himself.

Score one for battery-free baby crack!