Aspiring big sister

I babysat a friend's 7-month-old a couple times recently and it was a blast to see how Ellie reacts to close contact with a REAL baby. Even though she became extremely jealous when I fed or craddled the other baby, she was generally very nurturing and excited to have a baby around. I was relieved to find that Ellie can actually be quite helpful in a big sister role. She obediently fetched the other baby's toys, binky, and diapers from the other room as I requested them, enthusiastically shared her dolls and animals (or pushed them into her face), and when prompted to use "gentle behavior," she lovingly patted the baby's head and rubbed her belly. Hopefully she'll be even more willing to help and nurture by the time Erik makes his grand entrance.