Umbrellas and Babies

Yesterday afternoon, NWA saw a monsoon. I am serious...it was POURING down rain here. I have one very special child (ahm...Emma) who is TERRIFIED of the rain. She is not scared of the thunder or the lightening, but the actual water falling from the sky...that's scary. She says "I don't like it getting my hair wet." Yes, that's the reason...but we won't go into how prissy she is during this post. And...when I say scared, she cries and gets VERY upset when we have to get out in the rain.

So, yesterday, I broke out an umbrella for her. Now, this is not just any umbrella. It is the single most special umbrella in the world. It was Bea Bea's umbrella. (for those of you who don't know, that's my grandmother who passed away when I was in college and Emma is named for her) So, told Emma all about Bea Bea and her special umbrella and BAM...no more rain fears! In fact, she took that umbrella and walked right outside to "play" in the rain with it. When it was time to come in, she asked if she could go back outside IN THE RAIN with her special umbrella. I knew that during that moment, Bea Bea was smiling down and wondering "Boni, what took you so long to figure that one out!?"

Now...on to babies...

Hannah has decided that she wants to carry a baby around (sometimes babIES). She fell in love with one baby in particular that used to be Emma's...(and trust me, there were LOTS to choose from). During this process, I found out a very endearing quality about my youngest daughter: SHE DOES NOT JUDGE A BOOK BY THE COVER. The baby Hannah picked is naked...and dirty...and ratty...and has had her face/head colored...and is about to lose an arm...and almost as big as Hannah. But, Hannah loves her just the same.

She drags Baby around everywhere. She sleeps with Baby and if for a minute she loses baby, I hear (in the sweetest voice) "Ba-by? Ba-by? Baaaaaaabbbbyyyyy!" Hannah hugs Baby and kisses Baby. Hannah even (not so gently) puts Baby in the wagon for a ride and shares her passy with Baby. She loves Baby and I think Baby loves her because if it wasn't for Hannah she would still be in the "forgotten toy" bin in Emma's room. Baby was rescued from being sent where the forgotten toys go. In these pictures, she had found a second baby. I tried to get her to love that one like she does Baby (it's smaller and cleaner), but no such luck!

Does anyone else notice that all the babies/Barbies in our house are naked!? Why is that?