Babies

It's not too surprising given our life circumstances and her age but Emerson is pretty into her babies lately. She's gone through a few spurts of packing around a baby, a day or two at the most but this time she's going on weeks. It's. Adorable. 

She'll stop mid-activity and exclaim that her baby has woken up, needs a nap/bottle/diaper etc., rushing off to take care of it. She comes back and reports how baby is doing or brings baby to me to hold or help. 

She's so sweet with them, so gentle and tender. She kisses their tiniest owies, wraps them in blankets, talks to them in her high-pitched sweet voice. You can tell she's been around a few baby lovers ;). She's similar with real babies save for a slightly shorter attention span when they wiggle and kick. 

It's no surprise that she takes good care of her babies, she's my little helper. She brings me the broom and holds the dustpan, sprays the cleaner while I mop, stirs when we bake and sits next to me 'helping' anytime I'm cooking. She's such a little mother and nurturer. When I hurt myself she rushes over to blow it kisses and bring me oil. She'll say, "Oh momma, owie? I sorry momma. Where your owie? Here? {air kiss} {air kiss} {air kiss} All better now momma." (She air kisses her own owies too with a similar narrative). That's just one example that comes to mind, she's always rushing off saying "I go get it momma (I do det it)" if I mention I need something, laughing with me if I forgot something, "ha, silly momma!" and randomly encouraging me when I do anything from go to the bathroom to find her missing toy or say that I've finished a task, "Nice job momma!! Nice Job!" In general, she just keeps life sweet with her little supportive or obvious comments as she narrates our day. How I adore her. 

Anyway, back to the babies. On Monday, she brought one of her babies to me and told me how baby was crying. She was hungry. "Baby need milt, momma. Poor baby." and then you could see this lightbulb go on in her head. "Oh!" She said, "I have Ma ma ma!" (Ma ma ma is what she said for mama milk or nursing) and she lifted up her dress and nursed her baby. "I nursing baby, momma!! I have ma ma ma!" 

I figured at some point she'd nurse her babies, but up until now she'd always given them bottles, which struck me as funny since she nursed for so long. But then she mostly saw other babies getting bottles (you don't really *see* babies nursing as much because most moms wear a cover). I thought for sure once she saw me nursing baby brother she'd start nursing her babies. I didn't expect it Monday but it was priceless to see her revelation. She sat down and asked for a pillow for baby as she explained how hungry baby was, "baby need yots of milt, mommy". 

I'm not saying she'll be perfect when baby brother comes but I'm sure she'll be sweet (mostly) and I look forward to watching her with him. 

I'm sure she'll love this in 12 years. ;)