where is it?

river is more attached to her blanket than ever. it's tough to get it away from her long enough to wash it. it's part of her. but the blanket is white and looks so nasty most of the time and gets smelly. so i try as often as possible to wash it. the problem? we have to make sure we put it in with enough time to make sure it gets dried before her nap or bedtime or she will. not. sleep. it's ridiculous. one night it got left in the van. kg took the van to work. she cried for almost an hour. with no sign of letting up. heaving and sobbing in her crib. i tried to give her other blankets of similar material and she'd just throw them out and get so mad that i'd even think that would be ok. i just kept thinking in five more minutes she'll wear out and fall asleep. nope. so kg left work to run it home real quick. not kidding when i say it was like a reunion between two best friends when i gave it to her. she stopped crying immediately, got the biggest smile, started giggling amongst the heaves, hugging it, laying on it, rolling on it and stroking her face with it. and then was asleep within 2 minutes. silly. she's very attached to the binky too but i honestly think the blanket is worse. she's fallen asleep without the binky before when we've been unable to find it.
anyway, when i wash it i try to sneak it so she doesn't even notice it's gone for those two hours. but this time she saw me put it in the wash. she was not happy but didn't cry like usual. she just kept watching the washing machine periodically. finally she had waited long enough and got her bumbo and was checking out the scene. she was so confused and not happy that she couldn't see it in the washer. she kept saying to me, "mere" as in come here. and then she pointed in the empty machine and looked up so concerned and said, "banket?"
poor girl. that's also a great shot of her mohawk. ;) i had already put it in the dryer when she wasn't looking. when I pulled it out all warm she was so happy. it was a sweet reunion. :)
here is the blanket in question. the photo was taken a couple nights later.
since a few weeks old, she has slept with it covering her head. i used to go in and uncover her face because it make me nervous and she'd cover it right back. and if i put a blanket on her body to keep her warm, she kicks it off. she wants only her blanket, and only on her face. silly baby.