Girler

   For several weeks now, Ryan has been talking about how he wants a baby sister. He has already named her 'Girler' (since everything that he names has an '-er' added to it, such as Dogger, his pretend dog). Girler is very real to him. He doesn't act as if she is here now, but he talks about what he will do with her once she arrives. He asks me daily if I have started growing Girler in my belly yet, and how long it will take for her to grow. He wanted to know if he could grow a baby, and was very perturbed when I explained that God didn't give him the parts required to make a baby. He picks out clothes and toys at the store for her, and tells us what sort of things he will teach her (how to swing on the playset, how to use the potty, how to open a gummy snack bag, etc.) He also loves to hug and play with children smaller than himself, and routinely goes up to talk to babies in public.