Natalie's Baby

This little Beanie Boo Leopard became Natalie's "baby" during our time in Brazil.

I think that forever after, whenever I see it, it will remind me of when my baby Natalie was a sweet little toddler in Brazil.

She always had it close by. Or if she didn't, all we'd have to do it look at her with an "oh no!" expression on our face and say "Where's baby!??" And she'd make an oh no expression too and say "Baby!" and we'd hurry and go find it. Then she'd laugh and grab it and give it a hug and a kiss. She often had us give it a kiss after getting her out of bed in the mornings. She kept her baby close by during our trip home and didn't misplace it once. As we walked through the Campinas airport~

...both times as we boarded the planes~ she was ever the dutiful mother.

Her baby was in desperate need of a bath in Brazil, but I thought I'd hold off until after the trip home, since I was sure she would get plenty dirty on the way.

 Giving her baby a hug as we go through customs in Florida ~

Now we're home, and on our recovery day last Thursday, I snuck baby away and she took a bath. Luckily we've got a clothes dryer now and thus I was able to wash and dry her without her being missed too much by Natalie. Now Natalie has lots of babies to keep her busy. Here she is with Lily's new Beanie Boo dog - Whiskers -

And on Friday last week the kids seriously went through all the bins of their long lost toys (it was like Christmas morning!) and they got out the big Disney Princess dolls- those are "babies" for Natalie now too. She'll hold them and hug them (and carry them by the hair) and give them kisses as she says "So cute!"

I love this little girl. I've had little girls for so long, I'm wondering if I'll remember what to do with a boy baby. When he comes in a few weeks, I'm sure Natalie will be a good mother to him too.