Girl carries around an entourage of dolls, blankets, and other security items. They make her feel comfortable and add a bit of stability to a world she is just starting to get to know, and can sometimes be scary. The most important groupie in her posse is this doll named Suzie Q. Iloveyou. Yes. That’s her name. I know because I gave it to her. She is a Bitty Baby from the American Girl collection. She is my daughter’s favorite doll. She goes with us wherever we go, and waits in the car “for safety” when we go out. She sleeps with Girl every single night under her own blanket (which is a pillowcase) with her own woobie that matches Girl’s under her arm. They have matching outfits (both dressy and casual), they go on walks with Suzie in a stroller, and she even gets fed in her very own high chair. I think Suzie is Girl’s safe place. As long as Suzie is there, all is right with the world. Someday, Suzie will be just another doll. Today, she is a security blanket. Thanks, Suzie, for keeping away the bad dreams, for holding Girl’s hand when she is too proud to ask for mine, and for making my heart smile.
I took this picture in my head ten thousand times over the past few weeks imagining this post. It didn’t come out perfectly in reality, but maybe the little lack of clarity is the haze of the memory. Either way, I love it.
