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We've noted previously that Sydney really doesn't like anything loud and that she's easily startled. This makes things like hair dryers, hammer drills, power saws, and vacuum cleaners among things she wouldn't mind doing without.

Sunday evening, Meghan decided to vacuum the living room rug and pulled the vacuum cleaner out of the closet. At the sight of it, Sydney immediately crawled over and reached for me without taking her eyes off it. I picked her up and put her on my lap. As soon as Meghan turned the vacuum cleaner on, Sydney clung to me with both hands watching it carefully. When Meghan was done and had put the infernal machine away, Sydney crawled over to her and gave her a huge hug to make sure she was ok and that the vacuum cleaner hadn't gotten her.

This was the second time I've participated in this ritual. I'm not sure what would happen if someone else wasn't around to protect Sydney from the vacuum cleaner.

This week when Meghan vacuumed, Sydney crawled to the opposite side of the room around the coffee table, whimpered, and yelled for me. I picked her up and we went in the bedroom while Meghan vacuumed. At one point I thought it might be beneficial for Sydney to watch, but that resulted in instant whining so we just went back into the bedroom until Meghan was done.

This past weekend, Meghan pulled out the vacuum cleaner again. This time though, I was giving Sydney a bath so she had no idea what was going on. Or so we figured. As soon as she heard it fire up, she stood up in the tub, walked over to me, and clung to me (dripping). I tried kicking the door shut but that didn't really help. So that ended the bath, I got her out and into a sleeper, and then she went into the living room to make sure the vacuum cleaner didn't eat Meghan.

So I made the decision the other day that the fear of the vacuum cleaner has to end. We can't have our little girl freaking out and panicking every time we pull the silly thing out of the closet. Lord help us if Meghan ever takes her through the vacuum cleaner department at a store. She might have a heart attack.

My first thing was to quickly hit Google for some answers and what I found was mostly advice for kids a little older. None of it seemed real fitting to a 1 year old. So then I decided to try looking for cures for pets who are afraid of the vacuum. Presumably Sydney's fear is something instinctual. Animals are instinctual. Maybe I would find something there.

2 vacuumings ago Sydney began my own personal vacuum cleaner fear elimination program. It went something like this.

1. Meghan pulled out the vacuum cleaner and sat it in the middle of the floor.

She then left the room briefly to do something else. I was sitting on the couch. Sydney was on a chair on the other side of the room. Sydney immediately stood up on the chair, waved her arms like a bird, and had what I can only describe as a baby panic attack. Let's of whimpering, lots of arm waving, completely freaked out panicked facial expression. ...so I quickly picked her up. This reaction after all is why we're attempting to do something here.

2. Once Sydney felt somewhat secure, Meghan and I touched the vacuum cleaner and persuaded her to also touch it. Sydney tentatively and then more confidently touched it. It didn't gobble her up.

3. Once Sydney could deal with touching it, we made a game out of it. Meghan say Sydney on it and took her for a ride around the living room. Sydney grinned and everything was fine.

4. After that, Meghan plugged the vacuum cleaner in, turned it on and vacuumed the room. Sydney came over to me but wasn't as scared as previous vacuumings. I picked her up. She watched tentatively yet curiously.

5. Meghan shut off the vacuum, left it in the middle of the room briefly, showed Sydney that she was ok, and we touched it again.


This is all well and good, but the question was, what would happen next time the vacuum cleaner came out.

Answer - Sydney whined and ran out of the living room to me in the kitchen. Again, we touched it and showed her it was ok going through the procedure. Interestingly, this time when Meghan vacuumed, Sydney followed her around at a 5' distance as opposed to clinging to me. Maybe this is working. I guess we'll see what happens next time.

I think we've finally made peace with the vacuum cleaner. Meghan pulled it out over the weekend and Sydney didn't cling to me, panic, or run from the room. In fact she seemed to be yelling at it. The only time it appeared to make her uncomfortable was when Meghan was doing the floor at her feet. What a relief.

Well at least the fear is gone. Now she's just angry at the vacuum cleaner. Meghan pulled it out yesterday and Sydney chased it around, pointed, and yelled at it while Meghan vacuumed. I have no explanation for that one.