And Elizabeth Ali DeWilde makes six

While we were in Minnesota, I intended to sift through my old keepsakes, treasured away in my parent's farm house. My was I a pack-rat! (This from a woman who has now become such a thrower that I threw away our marriage license.) As I was sorting with my mom and finding my old barbie toys for the girls, I came across a baby doll I got from my parents while they were in California. I looked at my mom and got her approval to throw the doll away (as to not hurt her feelings) and we put the doll in the trash bag. Breanne immediately took the doll out of the trash and started playing with it.

Let me explain this doll. She's bigger than Aliya. She's quite life-like with little pig-tails. Breanne has not let this baby out of her mind since then. She rode home with us to Billings. She nurses. She now wears Aliya's clothes. Breanne changes her clothes twice a day. She has pajamas. She used to sleep in Aliya's crib with Aliya. Then she got a "perfect spot" made in the guest room and now she sleeps in the pretend pack-n-play in Bre & Madi's room. Breanne holds her on her hip. This baby is part of Breanne's life!

Breanne keeps telling me that she's a mommy like me. Last night at a barbeque party, Derrick fixed a plate of food for Breanne but Breanne was not eating. Derrick asked her if she wasn't hungry. "No, I'm just waiting for someone to hold Elizabeth (so I can eat.)" When Derrick tucked Breanne into bed last night, Breanne was praying for Elizabeth. Derrick took Madi and Bre on a errand this morning, and I got asked to babysit Elizabeth.

This past week, she said, "Elizabeth has another name." I asked her what that might be. "Um, Elizabeth Ali DeWilde." I guess, that makes us an even six.