Babies

They've always been "babies."

Rylee loves them.

It's quite often the first thing she plays with, especially after school.

Coat off. Shoes off. Backpack hung.

Down the hall. Into her room.

Door shuts.

Alone time.

We all need it.

But she's not really alone. Her babies welcome her home.

"Need a bottle, baby?"

"Awwww... it's okay sweetie."

It's so sweet listening to her talk to them. I often wish I could watch her play with her babies without her knowing I'm there. Sometimes, she will leave her door open slightly, which gives me a chance to spy observe.

She usually lines them up along the base of her bed, and they sit up nice and tall as tall as you can when you're made of stuffing. Some of them are dressed. Most of them are not. Quite often a stuffed animal or two wind up in the bunch. You know... the baby that sneezes next to Elmo. The Cat in the Hat next to the baby with the wild hair that we call "Outside Baby." (This is the baby Rylee plays with outside in the summer because we don't care if she gets sand in her eyes... the baby, that is. Not Rylee. Sand in Rylee's eyes would be of concern to me.)

Anyway, Rylee feeds her babies. She makes them "birthday cakes" (and when I ask her how old they are, she usually says, "three one.") She gets out her plastic food for them. (Which reminds me... I need to talk to her about appropriate food for babies. The other day I saw her feeing her baby a steak.)

She changes their clothes. Actually, she mostly takes their clothes off. (Should that be of concern to me?) I often play babies with her, and that's when the babies finally get dressed. We find which clothes go with which babies, and Rylee helps me dress them. Not sure why we do it. Good fine motor activity, I guess. Maybe it gives the babies a chance to warm up. But, it isn't long before the babies are back in their birthday suits.

If you ask her what her babies' names are, she will tell you, "Baby." (It makes sense... with so many babies, it really does lessen your chances of calling one the wrong name.) Of course, there are exceptions... "Outside Baby" and "Megan" (a doll that was mine when I was a little girl) have unique names. Everyone else is just "Baby."

A few days ago she was feeding her baby a bottle.

Rylee wanted to reach for a book, and I saw her hold the bottle in the baby's mouth with her chin as she reached.

A natural, I tell ya.

Do I wonder if she will decide to become a Mom when she grows up? Sometimes.

Is it possible? Yes. There are lots of ways to become a Mom.

Is it probable? Who knows.

But there are also lots of ways she can help take care of babies (or children) without actually having to take on the enormous responsibility of being a "Mom."

I'm confident she will find a way if that's what makes her happy.

For now, I love watching her with her babies. It warms my heart.

*****

After taking these sweet photos of Rylee with her baby, I glanced over at the chair beside her.

Admit it.

None of us are perfect Moms.