Lily and I were watching the hockey game. She had her baby doll in her lap, and pulled up her own shirt. It was pulled up in a unique and very recognizable way. It was a way that I've only seen one other person pull their shirt up. I still wasn't sure what she was doing until she pressed the baby doll to her side, and even then I had to ask. She confirmed that she was 'feeding baby', something she has seen her mom do regularly over the last month.
Now, breastfeeding is a very natural, bonding experience with health benefits far and beyond what any chemicals man can put together offers. I don't doubt any of this for a second, and am amazed at my wife's commitment to breastfeed our daughter for the first year of her life, especially after returning to work, and continue that work with our son. Still, it's a weird thing to see, and I say that as someone who has seen it a lot over the last couple years.
So, just as I'm getting accustomed to seeing breastfeeding, again, I see my daughter acting it out. It's natural, it's healthy and it only makes sense that a daughter mimics her mother, but it just doesn't look right. Words like uncomfortable and awkward come to mind.
I never know how to react in these situations either. I didn't want to laugh (I did). I didn't want to have an awkward reaction that might make her uncomfortable with this type of play (I did).
I'm thankful that she is a girl. I'd be a lot more confused if this was my son.
It also made me think about what types of things go the other way, and I'll have to make sure to never let her see me pee standing up.
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