Playing House

I started working at Little Brick – the daycare center at my gym, Brick Bodies. I picked up 6 hours and week and in exchange get my membership for free, a discount on my personal trainer and socialization with other women – most of whom have children around Rosie’s age. Rosie loves Little Brick’s – and loves it even more now that I am there to play with her.

Today, she made a new friend at Little Brick’s. We got there early and I worked out before punching in. When I got back, she was a disaster – crying all over the place…very unlike Rosie. Turns out, she was hungry and within minutes of my starting work was happily chomping on an orange. Crisis now averted, she went back to exploring everything that the Little Brick’s room has to offer – including some friends her age. Today, she found Gunner.

I would have guessed Gunner to be older than Rosie – but when I asked his mom, it turns out that he is as close to her age as he can be – December 1. Gunner & Rosie were the only two kids until 5 at Little Brick’s for a while today, and they became fast friends. They ran, they jumped, they played…and a few times, I caught them holding hands. Suddenly I realized that there was more than just some random playing going on…their playing had taken the form of a game…they were playing house. Both kids were in the play kitchen, helping one another make dinner. Then they cleaned up. Then they tended to the babies. (They had two – one for Rosie and one for Gunner). While all the bigger boys played “Keep Away from the Babies” around them, Rosie and Gunner sat in chairs in front of the TV and gave their babies imaginary bottles, burped their babies and rocked them to sleep.

They were inseparable.

Unfortunately, Gunner’s mom came to pick him up before my shift was over – and Rosie was very sad to see him go. They hugged each other several times before Gunner put his coat on. Hopefully, Gunner’s mom will be back to work out on Monday and Thursday of this coming week – so that Rosie can have some time with her buddy again.