A Baby, A Girl, and A Sister

At about 1 year old, Elise got her first baby. A plain little doll that cost $5 at WalMart - she picked it out when she was sick and we were wandering around waiting on a prescription to be filled. As soon as she could talk and was asked the doll's name, she replied "Baby." And that is what she has always called her. She sleeps with her every night, without fail. And in extreme cases when the most severe punishment is required (usually reserved for telling a lie), she loses baby. It breaks her heart and she cries and says, "But I love her!" Baby is her girl.

(Sometimes even Baby gets a timeout..)

Baby is not all that attractive, so I bought her another, cuter, stuffed doll. Elise named her "Girl." Not one to be swayed by looks or the cuddly factor, Girl is largely relegated to the toy box. She is no Baby.

(Girl, all by herself, in the dress up trunk...)

Cue this past Christmas, when Elise asked for a sister for her baby. Specifically one with diapers. This caused mass confusion amongst church members and her teachers at school, since when anyone asked Elise what she was getting for Christmas, she replied with "A Baby Sister." Christmas morning came and there was the new baby doll, complete with diapers, who was promptly named, you guessed it, "Sister." She was Elise's jam for all of 1 week before she was forgotten in favor of Baby.

(Christmas morning with Sister)

3 lessons here:
1 - Sometimes a cheaply made WalMart doll is all you need.
2 - We will for sure need to invest in a Baby Name book when it is Elise's turn (in 30 years) to have a baby of her own!
3 - Never try to come between a girl and her baby!