Author's note: Many thanks to Kristen3 for giving me the idea for this story! I hope she and everyone else who reads this enjoys it.

Alice was so excited.

Roz was, too. It had been awhile since she had spent much time with a baby. She remembered when her own daughter was that young, and how Daphne loved to hold her and take care of her. Roz had always been able to tell she wanted her own. Now, she did have her own, David, and it was Roz wanting to be around him.

She got up from where she sat at the kitchen table reading a book and went to check on Alice, who was supposed to be picking out something nice to wear for David's arrival. When Roz came into the little girl's room, she was wearing the nicest dress she had, one adorned with white lace and pink trim. She smiled and said, "Don't you thing that's a little fancy, Honey?" Alice shrugged, her hands clasped behind her back. Roz went over to her daughter's closet and found an outfit perfect for her: a light pink shirt with a matching floral print skirt.

Once she was dressed, Alice smiled and twirled like she had seen fashion models do on TV. The sight warmed Roz's heart. For weeks the child had talked nonstop about holding David, showing him her pink, elegant bedroom, and introducing him to their dog, Ariel. To her delight, that day had finally come.

Roz would have done this much sooner, but she knew from experience that the last thing a new mother wanted was to be separated from her newborn. There came a longing to hold it at all times, to never let it out of your sight, to comfort it when it cried, and to never leave it with anyone but the closest family members.

Sure, she knew that she was like family to all of the Cranes, but it somehow didn't seem right for a friend to babysit so soon. Not only that, it seemed more sensible for Alice to spend time with a baby that could smile and laugh rather than one who slept all day. So she had waited about two months after David's birth before finally volunteering to watch him while Niles and Daphne went out.

Alice ran over to the couch and sat down, putting her hands in her lap. She tried to sit still, but the excitement made her squirm. Roz joined Alice and they sat quietly, something not too common in their house. Alice was usually very active and very talkative, and her toys were almost always scattered about the living room.

In an instant, the doorbell rang and broke the silence. Alice jumped up and ran to the door, opening it to reveal Daphne and David. "Hello Alice," said Daphne. She responded with an ear-to-ear smile. Roz stood up and gave her best friend a hug with the arm that wasn't holding David and invited her to sit down.

She did, and Alice quickly took the seat next to her on the couch, staring curiously at the baby.

"She's been really excited about him coming over," Roz told Daphne.

"She's not the only one, to be honest with you," she replied, laughing a bit. "I mean, I love looking after him, but it seems Niles and I haven't been out in forever, and I've been rather excited."

Roz nodded. "I completely understand. Now go out, have fun, and don't come back until 3 AM for all I care."

"Thanks, Roz. I really appreciate it."

A short time later, Roz, Alice and David were alone in the apartment.

"Can I show him Ariel?" asked Alice.

"Sure, but you'll have to go get him."

She quickly ran to the balcony door, where just outside the Dalmatian sat in its favorite spot, sunbathing in the warm July weather.

Upon seeing his playmate at the door, Ariel jumped up and eagerly waited for the door to be opened. When Alice managed to open the sliding glass door, the dog rushed in and immediately began licking her hands, then ran to Roz and did the same. When he saw David he sniffed and then licked his face, and upon seeing this Alice gasped and tried her best to pull him away. "No, Ariel," she told him. "That's a baby. You have to be gentle. Now sit."

Ariel obeyed.

"David, this is Ariel. He's my dog. I'm sorry he licked you. He likes to do that."

The baby remained unaffected and his eyes wandered around the room, perfectly content in his own little world.

She continued to talk to David, and Roz only half-listened. After a while, she felt her arms grow heavy from holding him.

"Alice," she began, "would you like to hold David?" She nodded.

Roz told her to lean back on the couch, and when she did she gently handed David to her. She watched as Alice's face lit up to be supporting a small life such as him. Much to their delight, David smiled back at her.

For the next precious few minutes, Alice continued to cradle the baby in her arms, whispering to him about anything and everything. Roz wished Daphne and Niles were here to see this. It made her reflect on just how much she loved her daughter, the sweet and caring girl who had no problems making friends at school or elsewhere. She was extremely smart and had an adorable face. And there was no doubt in Roz's mind that someday Alice would make a terrific mother.

The late afternoon sun exited the sky and left behind a warm night, and soon David was asleep in his baby carrier.

Alice herself was in bed, waiting to be tucked in by her mother. Roz came in after making herself some iced tea to be drink later.

"So," she said, "did you have fun today?"

"Yes!" Alice answered. "I got to show David my house and my dog and my room."

"And you got to hold him."

"Yeah."

"Are ready to go to sleep now?"

"Yeah. I wish I could play with David some more, but I think he needs to sleep."

"You're right. Goodnight, Alice."

"Goodnight, Mommy."

Roz kissed Alice on the cheek. "I love you very, very much…"

The words caught in her throat and she forced tears of love back. She knew that if Alice saw them it would make her upset.

"I love you too, Mommy."

And with that, Roz walked over to the door, turned the light off, and left her daughter to sleep in peace.