This is one of the first baby doll’s that joined our brood. Both of the girls love her to pieces. I’ve been asking Zuzu since she was able to pick her up what the baby’s name is and typically what she heard was my asking what her name was and so the answer was always Zuzu. Well in the last week or two a new incarnation of baby emerged. This baby, her name is Fabulous. As in,”Mommie- how was fabulous’s day, tell me about her day, tell me what she did. Zuzu has always loved pretend play based on her own reality. She pretends to get the car keys to get ready to go to market to buy kefir. She needs monies to pay for parking. She turns on my pump and then begs to make milk herself. She sits and reads to her sister and dollies pretending to be Miss Chrystil. And the newest game is with Fabulous. I’m Miss Shaina and if I sit still anywhere in the house for more than 30 seconds, she comes strolling in and deposits Fabulous at my feet, kisses her, tells her she loves her and that she’ll be back after work. Then she runs into the hall and hollars, “Miss Shaina, Miss Shaina- tell everyone whose Mommie is coming?” It is then my job as Miss Shaina to  start naming off the kids in her class and asking if their Momma is on her way. Once she shyly enters the room, she then asks for a full report on Fabulous’s day and takes great pride in hearing that Fabulous had a fabulous day- she pooped in the potty, she napped on her mat, she painted a picture of pink hearts, she ate her corn, applesauce and chicken, she played outside and she listened during group time while sitting, ” Criss-cross applesauce, hands in her bowl”. She literally beams with pride over Fabulous’s fabulous day, picks her up, tells, her “Oh my dear, Momma loves you” then gathers her coat and shoes and heads into the hall to start from scratch.

I know, I know- enjoy it while it lasts- I so am. A few months ago Zuzu realized a couple of the jammy sets in her and the Quail’s drawers matched. Ever since that fateful day she has taken great pride in choosing matching jammies and clothes for her and her sister. If there isn’t a matching set- it’s ok to just coordinate just so long as you can come up with a fairly credible story as to why they go together: “Well Zu, there are cupcakes on your jammies and lollypops on your sister’s. See those both have sugar in them, therefore they match- see? See now why you don’t need to cry about her jammies being blue and your’s being pink? Isn’t that nice?” 

It really happened all of a sudden. She still takes credit for “her baby” to anyone that will listen. She’s the first to kiss the Quail in the morning, the one she goes looking for at the end of the day, the one that she starts singing “Twinkle, Twinkle” too as soon as the baby erupts. She wants her to sit with her, to lay with her, be pounced on by her, play Little Peoples with her. She asks in what sounds to be sincere tones, “Momma, can we have more babies, pleasssssseeee, more babies?”She’s a dear heart that girl….