Q & A #14
by Colleen Hillerup
Meredith came bouncing into the living room, stopping when she saw her mother. "Oh," she said. "It's the stu ... it's the nice baby."
"Hey, Sweetie," Buffy called. "Want to play with Nigel?"
She looked at her mother, and the little bundle she held on her lap. "That's Auntie Anya's baby. She should play with it. 'Sides, he doesn't play."
"Sure he does. Come and sit beside me." She watched her daughter climb up onto the couch, a look of studious concentration on her face.
"Show me."
"Take your forefinger, no the pointer one, that's right, and move it back and forth in front of his eyes. See how he watches it?"
Meredith moved her finger slowly and was delighted by the baby's attention to it. "He sees me. I think he likes it."
"Now, take that same finger and touch the baby's little hand."
When she reached out to the infant, he grasped her finger. "He's really strong!"
"Yep. Babies can surprise you. You did."
Meredith was fascinated. "I did?"
"Every day." She shifted a bit on the couch. "Honey, sit there against the corner of the sofa. Like that, right. Now, put your arms out, and Mommy will let you hold Nigel, if you're very careful."
"No." Meredith was frightened. "Anya will be mad at me. I'm just a little kid."
"Auntie Anya and Uncle Giles went to a movie. But they won't be mad. I'm here, and I know you wouldn't hurt him." She placed the infant on her daughter's lap, keeping her hands close. "There, see. Hold your arm under his head, that's good, and there. See, he's fine."
Meredith stared at the baby, not moving an inch. "He loves me."
"I'm sure he does."
"Mommy, he's really soft, and warm. I like him."
"Of course you do, honey. He's a sweet little thing."
"Yes, he's a sweet little thing." She smiled down at the baby. "Mommy, can I have a little brother?"
by Colleen Hillerup
Meredith came bouncing into the living room, stopping when she saw her mother. "Oh," she said. "It's the stu ... it's the nice baby."
"Hey, Sweetie," Buffy called. "Want to play with Nigel?"
She looked at her mother, and the little bundle she held on her lap. "That's Auntie Anya's baby. She should play with it. 'Sides, he doesn't play."
"Sure he does. Come and sit beside me." She watched her daughter climb up onto the couch, a look of studious concentration on her face.
"Show me."
"Take your forefinger, no the pointer one, that's right, and move it back and forth in front of his eyes. See how he watches it?"
Meredith moved her finger slowly and was delighted by the baby's attention to it. "He sees me. I think he likes it."
"Now, take that same finger and touch the baby's little hand."
When she reached out to the infant, he grasped her finger. "He's really strong!"
"Yep. Babies can surprise you. You did."
Meredith was fascinated. "I did?"
"Every day." She shifted a bit on the couch. "Honey, sit there against the corner of the sofa. Like that, right. Now, put your arms out, and Mommy will let you hold Nigel, if you're very careful."
"No." Meredith was frightened. "Anya will be mad at me. I'm just a little kid."
"Auntie Anya and Uncle Giles went to a movie. But they won't be mad. I'm here, and I know you wouldn't hurt him." She placed the infant on her daughter's lap, keeping her hands close. "There, see. Hold your arm under his head, that's good, and there. See, he's fine."
Meredith stared at the baby, not moving an inch. "He loves me."
"I'm sure he does."
"Mommy, he's really soft, and warm. I like him."
"Of course you do, honey. He's a sweet little thing."
"Yes, he's a sweet little thing." She smiled down at the baby. "Mommy, can I have a little brother?"