Gia is not attached to many toys. If something breaks, gets lost, or another child wants to play with it, she's usually totally okay with that. But when it comes to Baby, that is her Baby. She doesn't like others to play with this doll and gets sad when she thinks it's missing. And yes, her name is Baby.
Well, Baby got left outside one night. She was on the chair outside when I left for work in the morning, and I didn't think anything of it, other than to tell Bobby that it was out there so he could grab it on the way to the sitter's house. Apparently, an hour later when Gia and Bobby left the house to go to Kenna's, Nola had gotten a hold of baby and had her in the yard. Not good.
We should have known better. Our dog is great about not chewing anything in the house, including Gia's toys, but anything that is left outside is in "Nola's domain." So, baby got boo-boos on her feet and face.
Thankfully, Daddy is the MAN at fixing things, and he wrapped up Baby's feet so they could heal. Gia was completely okay with this, and seemed to think it was the logical thing to do because Baby had "broken feet." Bobby used athletic tape to wrap up the feet.
Then, we got a little sneaky. We called Bobby's mom, since she was the one who got Baby for Gia, and told her the situation. His mom sent us a new baby doll (exactly the same one) so that we could "switch out" the babies. When it came in the mail, we put the old clothes on the new baby and gave it to Gia. We said, "Look Gia! Baby's feet are all better!" She was happy with this. Then we suggested to Gia that we should change baby's clothes, because the old ones needed to be washed. Gia helped put the new clothes on Baby, which are way cuter by the way, and all was well with the world. She is so observant, though, that she noticed that New Baby's neck looked a little different because this one has a head that moves from side to side. They made some upgrades, I guess!
I am so thankful for a husband who cares SO much for his baby girl that he is willing to tape up her doll's feet and go to great lengths to give her sweet things. I am also thankful for a mother-in-law who doesn't hesitate to buy her granddaughter a new doll in order to help us and make Gia happy. And I'm especially thankful that this happened NOW, when Gia is still too young to realize all that really happened. Gia, when you read this later on in life, know that we did not do this to trick you. We did it only because we love you so dearly and want you to be able to hold on to things in your life that are special.
This picture was when she first got Baby.
