Variations on a Classic

It seems as if The Gracer is taking after her Aunt Molly. When Mollifer was Grace's age (and for some years later), she found comfort in sucking her thumb while holding onto the ear of someone she loved. This ear-holding was done at her most tired, when she just needed a little refueling. And it always did the trick. When she got really desperate and there was no ear in reach, she'd make do with her own:

(Those earmuffs aren't fooling anyone!)

Grace has found a similar source of comfort when she's past the time she should be hitting the hay. Of course, she does this with her own Graceland twist. It starts with burying her head into the chest of whoever is holding her and reaching up with her hand blindly in midair, as though she is filled with the Spirit in church. Her hand then moves from an "Amen" to an "Ay, where are you"? Her little pudgy grabber either travels backward in space to grasp onto the finger holding her head behind her:

(as you can see by her size, this has been going on for some time now)

Or, and more commonly, it travels forward and grabs a full handful of whatever she can reach - a cheek, a chin, a nostril, or her favorite, a pair of lips. She will grab hold of your pucker so as to keep your kisses all to herself. And often her digits have made the direct trip from her mouth, so they're drippin' wet.

Occasionally, the paws make it into the mouth of the holder:

It's somewhat endearing, albeit a little odd, until she spends the majority of her physical therapy sessions trying to grab the PTs face. Let's hope the next habit she picks up from her Aunt Molly is something a little more socially acceptable.