Pretend Play

Paul and I have had the privilege of watching our little girl grow and change daily. It has honestly been one of the most rewarding aspects of parenthood -- watching Maelyn learn new skills and blossom in her interactions with her doting parents, family and friends.

One of the biggest changes has happened over the past week. Maelyn has started to engage in 'pretend play.' It is fascinating to watch Maelyn play out her knowledge of how the world works. It started with pushing the grocery cart that she received from Lianne and the girls all around the house. In the cart she discovered a small tea pot and cup and promptly made us a thousand cups of the best tea Paul and I had ever sampled. Maelyn enjoys playing tea party so much that she will take us by the hand and pat the ground beside her to tell us that she wants us to sit down and serve us her tea specialties.

Maelyn has also really taken to dolls and teddy bears, making them take on human characteristics. She now puts her stuffed animals in the cart, just as she sits in the cart while Mama shops. Maelyn even makes the teddy bears wave and say hello to us while they pass us in the hallway.

While in the bathtub, Maelyn likes to have me put my arm over the side of the tub and douses it in water. She then rubs her hands together and rubs my arm -- just like when we put lotion on her each evening. It was an experience that reminded me so very much of playing beauty salon and house with Brya and Cassidy. You couldn't have peeled the smile off my face if you tried!

Maelyn has also started making Paul and I carry out some of her pretend play -- by grabbing our hands and/or arms and making us do things like hug her teddy bears, turn pages in books, etc. We have a routine at bedtime of hugging as a family, Paul and I kissing each other and then kissing Maelyn. Last night when we started to hug, Maelyn put her hand at the back of my head and started pushing me towards Paul -- she wanted us to kiss! She then proceeded to kiss us over and over again. I felt chocked up and so grateful for my family.

AM told me shortly after we came home from our adoption experience that we would find ourselves loving Maelyn more and more deeply as time went on -- without realizing that a deeper love was even possible. As always, she was so right! I find myself catching my breath when I steal a glance at her and watch her develop and learn daily -- what an amazing privilege it is to be the Mama of such a special little girl.