'Baby'

There's a very sweet thing that Benjy says. Whenever he is referring to one of his friends' or classmates' little brothers or sisters, he always refers to them as their 'baby' - whether the sibling in question is 3 months or 3 years old. It's really sweet - almost as if he inherently believes that part of the older brother or sister role is looking after a 'baby', even when that 'baby' is two and a half and can run around and talk. And he seems to compare them to Chloë, however old they are - this morning at school he said to me, surprised, 'Jack's baby can say 'big' and 'tree'!' Jack's 'baby' is two years old; but now, as we hear Chlo talking more and more, it seems Benjy is comparing all other 'babies' to her and what she can do now. He adores babies, and small children - Benjy is drawn to any baby, whether it's one we know or one we see out and about, and play with them and make them laugh, and be sweet and gentle with them.

And, as this post is called 'baby', I may as well mention that it was one of Chlo's first words and one that she says with confidence now whenever we see a baby, always accompanied by hugging herself and saying 'aaaah'. She also loves babies - but I think it's just because Benjy does, wanting, as she does, to be just like him.