Beginning of an Era

Charlotte has always enjoyed dolls and stuffed animals during her waking hours.  But once it is time for nap or bedtime, she has made it clear her world and the Toy Story world are to remain separate.  She wants all dolls and stuffed animals in her doll crib (sometimes the doll crib is so full of dolls and animals, it looks a lot her mom and dad's bed when the animals all climb on the bed for the night).  Meanwhile, her crib is reserved for herself.

But my mom sent Charlotte a Valentine's Day gift this week and everything has changed.  Suze sent Charlotte a doll bottle, complete with fake milk and a very cute book about a boy and his teddy bear.













Since receiving the bottle and book, Charlotte and the bottle and a teddy bear are never far apart and often attached, although she does choose between three bears.  In the book the boy and the bear do all sorts of things together and love each other.  And now Charlotte can be seen doing the same thing, reading to a bear, walking around with a bear, playing hide and seek/peek-a-boo, and now eating with or feeding a bear.  Today she requested that we take a bear, and bottle, to music class.  I've always found it so unique that Charlotte had this division with her stuffed animals and dolls.  They only sometimes left the house and never were allowed in her crib.  All of that has changed now, and, just like when I was a kid, her bear (or one of three bears, to be accurate) is rarely far from her, for now.  The gifts were perfect, Mom, and are quickly a big part of her day.

The bear joins Charlotte for her daily nap...












...and the bear and bottle are present for bedtime.