little mother

Meet Billy.

A couple years ago McKay had a brief interest in babies. I, seeing no harm or embarrassment in letting my son explore this area of play, picked up Billy at Target for my boy. Brian died.

But McKay was thrilled with his baby. He hugged him and burped him and carried him all around the house. He was one proud papa. Billy actually has a twin too, Bobby. You see, Lisa wasn't scared to let her boy play with a doll either.

This baby phase lasted for less than a month, and Billy was then tossed into the stuffed animal bin and neglected, poor thing.

Meet the little mother.

A couple months ago she found Billy at the bottom of that stuffed animal bin. And she has hardly let him go. She would take him everywhere if we let her. . .along with her blankie, souci, bear, cup and anything else she decides to get attached to that day. She loves to carry things around with her.

The other day when we were helping Jana and Mark move in to their new house she carried around a donut hole for a whole Saturday. Didn't eat it, just clutched it very tightly and felt secure that it was with her.

After having a boy first, I am kind of amazed at the natural maternal instinct that I already see in my girl. Receiveing the same promptings as McKay did at her age, she is comletely taken with nurturing this baby. How does she know? It's clearly something that's already in her. Something that already brings her joy. Something that's already fun to her.

I love that about little girls.

I love that she found him among a bunch of other toys and she was immediately drawn to him. . .

. . .and she's been feeding him ever since.