You've come a Long way, baby

Larkin's Baby Baby has been missing for 2 weeks. Larkin has handled it pretty well, but she asked about her Baby Baby every day.

She said things like: "I'm a little bit sad."

Me: "Why?"

Her: "Because I miss my baby."

Baby Baby has been Larkin's favorite for what seems like forever.





Matt and I searched every room in the house, both cars, the backyard, friends' houses, cubbies at school...high and low, we looked everywhere for Baby Baby. She was nowhere.

So yesterday I took the girls to Toys R Us promising Larkin we would find a new Baby Baby - not the same one, but a Baby Baby that would fill the void of that favorite baby doll. Larkin agreed, and she requested a "lellow" baby. No surprise there.

On the way to Toys R Us, she said: "Mommy, I'm getting happy now!"

We went up and down the baby doll aisles, and I just couldn't find what we wanted.

Larkin was tempted by the yellow dress worn by a Belle (Beauty and the Beast) doll, but I knew that wasn't the kind of baby that would be able to maintain the status of Favorite. I found a small baby doll dressed like a bumblebee, but Larkin wasn't interested.

Finally I found one more baby doll aisle, and tucked away in the corner of a top shelf was one yellow-clad, soft-bodied baby doll. I snatched it up immediately, and Larkin fell in love.



She clutched her new Baby Baby the whole way home, and she insisted on holding her while I cut off the tags.

I heard her talking to her new Baby Baby, walking her around the house, introducing Baby Baby to our home. "This is Layne, my sister." And then: "Mommy, do you want to hear my new song for my baby?"

All seemed to be going well. She carried around her new Baby Baby all day long, and she cuddled with her when she slept last night.

And then.

Randomly this morning, Larkin asked me to grab her flowered backpack from the back of her bedroom door. Holding her new Baby Baby and her backpack, she followed me into Layne's room and stood next to me at the changing table.

I heard her say: "Mommy, look." When I looked down, there she was. The missing Baby Baby, tucked inside the backpack.

Larkin held them both, looking from one to the other. I could see the wheels turning in her head. Old Baby Baby, who she had loved for two years but had given up ever seeing again. New Baby Baby, who she had loved only for hours but was YELLOW and had filled that gaping hole in her heart.

After a moment, she held out Old Baby Baby and said: "Here, Layne." A sweet gesture, to share with her sister, but she didn't seem entirely sure.

Later, in the car on the way to school, she said: "Mommy, I'm so happy now because I have two babies."

Larkin, I understand completely. I love my two babies, too.