The Bella Story

This is a picture of Madyson and our 4th Grandchild "Bella", oh yeah, the little bear is "Pearl". Let me tell you a little about Bella. Bella is a doll that I got for Madyson for Easter this year. Wasn't an expensive baby doll but she was pink and if you ask Madyson what she wants she says "Pink". Pink anything. She was looking at a toy catalogue for Christmas and everything she picked out was "Pink". Anyway, back to Bella...After Haylee and Lauren saw Bella they wanted the same doll. I got one for Haylee and Becky got one for Lauren. However, neither one of them latched onto the doll like Madyson. Bella goes everywhere with Madyson. We are talking church, naps, breakfast, lunch, dinner, potty, baths, vacations, rides in the car seat, in the family pictures, sits in the cart during our Wal-Mart shopping excursions, you get the picture. Bella was also instrumental in the potty training of Madyson. Not that Mimi totally agreed with the way Michael & Daisha did it, they would take Bella away from her the whole day if she had an accident in her big girl panties. I told them "She's 2 years old, I thought the rule was suppose to be 2 minutes or at the most 2 hours", but what do I know, I'm just the Mimi.

A few weeks ago Daisha and Michael were talking about how dirty Bella was looking, I believe the word "disgusting" was used. I mean, there have been times I had to wash Bella's outfit before I would even take her out in public. So a new one was purchased and Daisha said she was going to put "old" Bella up as a keepsake. I thought that was a great idea. Well, yesterday "New" Bella was finally removed from the box and presented to Madyson. We wondered how she'd react to the new doll because she's so attached to Bella. She acted excited and seemed to treat her like she loved her but we knew right off the bat it wasn't quite the same. She calls both of them Bella, but that's about as far as it goes. Tonight the New Bella was invited to go to Papa Buck's for our Christmas with them but Madyson said "No, she staying here and going to bed". I guess there will be no replacement for Bella. Sorry Daisha. I know how bad you two wanted the switch to work. One more note on Bella: This is the only thing we don't make Madyson share. She seems to love this baby doll like we love our own children. You have to see Madyson with her. She talks to her, loves on her, kisses her and treats her so tender and loving like we hope she does her new baby sister when she arrives next April.