The Doll House

Riley's doll house. It's been around since she was a preschooler.

I remember the Christmas she got it. Sweet little chubby hands gripping the fresh, unblemished plastic people and banging them in hopping motions all over the house.

She immediately named this one Garrett. And that's still his name today.

A lot has changed since those days.

That little family has been through more than a lifetime of events.

Celebrations, illnesses, holidays, and new babies.

There were seasons when we played out the same story over and over. Then we would move to another.

There were times when every single day was a birthday party.

We've made Christmas decorations and little clay food for the house.

There were times when I could hear David in Riley's room playing his role of "Crazy Granny." She was always on the roof.

There have been seasons when the house was closed up for a bit, and we didn't hear from the family. But they always beckon us back in.

Something about looking into a whole house and having complete control over everything in it. It's kind of comforting I guess.

It's cozy and cheerful in there.

And all the right things are happening. The things that make you feel peaceful. The things that make you sigh with contentment when they are happening in your own house.

The role playing has morphed into something different as she has grown older. It seems to be more contemplative now. We talk more about real-life stuff as we play. And there is a lot more care put into the interior design as we rearrange furniture and rooms and set up the stage of the family's life.

The little character voices are less frequent and often replaced with silence as we sit back and admire our scenes, deep in thought.

Sometimes maybe we're both imagining her future family. Her hopes and dreams.

Sometimes maybe we're just thinking of new ways to arrange the nursery.

Maybe when she's older and has her own family and home, she'll remember some of what we discussed as we reigned over this little family's world.

Maybe she'll just remember the warm feeling of being together.

I know I will.

And I will always cherish doll house time with my little girl.