Just a Little Mommy

Elaine has been playing “mommy” a lot over the last few days.  I don’t know what happened, or “clicked”, but she has been neglecting her best friend Bunny in lieu of playing mommy to her baby doll Betsy.  Betsy literally goes everywhere with Elaine!

Maybe it was because she “grew up” over the weekend.  You see, last Thursday (May 19th), Elaine lost her pacifier.  We couldn’t find it anywhere.  It was the last remaining paci, and I had already committed to not replacing it if were to be lost.  Ben has been wanting Elaine to give up her paci for a while, but we were going to wait until after the transition with the new baby.  And though we did find the paci on Sunday, we opted to not give it back.  (Sunday was a monumental day here – Elaine went to church with no paci and no Bunny – a first for her!)

Now that Elaine is a “big girl” she has been quite the mommy to her baby doll.  Betsy is wearing her third outfit from the newborn box…because Elaine keeps sharing her milk cup with Betsy.  I have walked into the room several times to find Betsy “drinking” from Elaine’s cup while her clothes are soaked!  I quickly solved this problem (or so I thought) by giving Elaine a baby bottle for Betsy.  Not to be deterred, Elaine let me know that she wanted water in it for Betsy to drink!

I have also cleaned up several piles of Cheerios or cookie crumbs that were carefully placed in Betsy’s mouth, but of course they were never consumed!

When I go into Elaine’s room in the morning, I am almost always greeted with some accessory of Betsy’s that needs put back on.  When I change Elaine’s diaper she wants a wet wipe to clean Betsy’s face with.  And, of course, Betsy also gets stories read to her by Elaine.

Lucky Betsy also gets walks in the new baby doll carriage.  Caitlyn from church has outgrown her baby doll buggy, and she was kind enough to ask if Elaine would like it.  It is the first thing Elaine goes for in the morning!  But watch out – she is a crazy driver like the Godby side of her family!

 

Elaine brings quite the entourage to the table for meals now.  Betsy, a swaddling blanket, a bottle, and sometimes Bunny is even remembered!

It’s fun to watch Elaine do things to her baby doll that she has seen me to do her.  And maybe, just maybe, it will help with the transition when baby brother or sister arrives!