Take Sarah, for instance. This morning, she slept quite late, so I stuck my head into her room to check on her. She was sitting in her crib, staring intently into her doll's face. She's been sleeping with this doll for about a month, but she never really plays with it, much less interacts with it. I watched her run her fingers over the contours of the Cuddle Bug's face while she babbled--not just generic babbling, she was talking to the doll! Suddenly, she seemed like such a big girl and I was reminded that she's on the cusp of toddler-hood.
Or Andrew, who has become fast friends with the Dapper Dan doll that belonged to Dave when he was a little boy (you know, the activity dolls with zippers, shoelaces, buttons, snaps, etc). In fact, Andrew refused to don his shoes and socks this morning until we changed Dapper Dan's diaper (which wasn't part of his original ensemble, but Dan is definitely sporting an Elmo Pamper now).
Andrew said, "Diaper Dan has poo-poo's."
"Oh." I said matter-of-factly (while thinking, Great! One more diaper to change every day).
So we diapered Dapper Dan and I sat him down in one of Andrew's little chairs. Expecting Andrew to honor his end of our (apparently imaginary) agreement, I said, "OK! Let's go put on socks and shoes!" I ran excitedly into the mud-room, waving my arms in the air and cheering, only to realize that I was alone. I walked back into Andrew's room and found him sitting in one of his other little chairs, squarely facing Dan, and grinning widely.
Andrew asked, "Wanna take Diaper Dan to Andrew's new school?"
Losing my patience, I said, "No, Honey. Dapper Dan is a baby. He goes to a different school."
"No. Diaper Dan is a big boy." He informed me.
And all I could think was . . . I know. And I miss him already . . .
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