Baby Boot Camp

It appears my oldest daughter is trying to prepare me for life with 4 kids.  She has taken on the job of mothering her baby doll “baby Eli” literally 24-7. 

When we sit down to eat, she makes sure Eli has his bib on and a special seat at the table.  We now set our table for 7 (b/c our youngest has to include her baby Eli too). 

When she’s getting ready for bed, baby Eli also gets tucked into his bed, with his own baby and she is always certain to read him his special Bible story as well.   In the morning she’ll tell me that “baby Eli had a very good night sleep”.

Occasionally, baby Eli requires babysitting from me.  Yesterday she asked me to baby sit while we went to the school room for school.  She left me with a bottle, a spare diaper, his bed and his stroller.  She walked me through all the details of how to take care of him and when she returned from her “time at school” she asked how he did.  Did I change his diaper?  Did I feed him?  I told her he slept soundly in his stroller the whole time she was gone. 

Yesterday when we overslept and were running late, I was scurrying to get the kids fed and dressed and out the door in 30 min.  My daughter was concerned that I also prepare food for Eli.  I didn’t have time to feed Eli that morning and told her he could eat when we got back.  She said, “Mommy, he needs to eat, he’s hungry.”  I suggested a bottle and she said, “he eats more than just milk Mom.” 

I can tell she’s getting me ready for life with four. Seems I am going through baby boot camp as I now have an extra diaper to change, mouth to feed, and car seat to buckle when getting ready each morning. 

I am so glad when I have this extra little one to care for, he or she will have such a wonderful big sister to help me take care of him/her.