6 months

Fern lifted the little girl in the Magnolia dress out of the wide cradle and smiled at her. Little Magnolia looked into her eyes, smiled back and started waving her chubby little hands. She started smacking her lips hopefully. Little Magnolia, Fern had found out, was a little glutton, forever hungry. But at her age that was not a problem, babies and infants were supposed to be chubby, unlike young girls.

Fern held her finger out in front of Magnolia and she grabbed it, showing a healthy curiosity.

It was the right time to move them to the crib, where they could be raised with all the other girls of the house. These had good lineage and even facial features so it was probable they would turn out to be of higher class within the house than Fern herself. If Magnolia could live up to her promising origins she would be able to keep her flower name. Lily and Azalea as well.

She set Magnolia down in the large basked filled with soft linen cloth, then took Azalea and Lily out of the cradle and placed them next to Magnolia. They were all lively, robbing around the floor if left alone.

They had to go to the crib just before they learned how to crawl just like any other baby. In the crib they would be safe and could go anywhere, play with other babies freely. Sometimes Fern was a bit jealous of them, with their future so open. She had accompanied many babies to the crib, but Magnolia was her favorite so far.

Lily was too fragile and Azalea always tried to go where she was not supposed to be, but Magnolia was obedient. Judging by her brown eyes where her sisters’ were black she would look a little different while those two would be identic. Somehow that made her even more endearing to Fern.

With the babies safely in the basket she lifted it to her head and left for the crib.

The girl’s crib was a large mansion with a smooth clay fence that reached to Fern’s chest. The only entrances were four brick houses, each with a gate warden, to ensure no baby accidently went outside. Inside there was a perfectly groomed lawn and park without any poisonous plants, or any with thorns. No ponds where babies might drown either.

The Mansion was large, with six wings, each for an age group. There were fences between those age groups’ smaller private garden areas and the open park, as well. Inside she knew there would be no edges or high places where children might hurt themselves and leave scars. The floors were all smooth wood for the same reason.

Scars would ruin a girl child early on.

In the girls’ private room – a privilege of those with flower names – she set Lily and Azalea down on the floor so they could explore their surroundings, rolling and robbing about as they liked to do. Magnolia looked at Fern with large, liquid eyes, made begging sounds and held out her chubby little arms. Fern couldn’t resist and cuddled her before she fed her again.

7 months

Lily had found an amazing playmate in Azalea. Together they were crawling around the maze of hallways and rooms, everything full of pretty colors and toys and other babies to play with.

They were dressed in jumpers with bright blue patches on their knees and little fingerless gloves to protect their hands as they scrambled about. Lily had the impression that she was a bit older than the other babies somehow, but so much of what she saw was new and exciting, as exciting as for every other baby her age, it just didn’t matter.

Together with Azalea, who had apparently accepted Lily as the leader in their expeditions, she hid under low tables and inspected dolls and stuffed animals. They took apart flowers and pulled on every bit of cloth they could find. It was fun.

Of course they also got to know other babies, touching their soft cheeks and hair, laughing at the way it felt to touch and be touched by little, clumsy hands innocently. They babbled among themselves, teaching each other some simple words they’d learned.

Magnolia, who was always with the large presence in their lives that took care of them was fast forgotten in the middle of so much fun.

Over time Lily became a leader among the little ones, the one with the most interesting ideas that always did something to make the others curious. She tried to follow the girls that left, the ones who were around a year old, but she had no luck. They were always found out all too soon by the experienced Nurses.

11 months

Lily and Azalea were quick little devils who always managed to escape Fern, causing her nothing but worry. They were a bit skinny for their age and far too mischievous.

Fortunately she had Magnolia, who was so adorable as she was crawling around the room and saying her cute little words. Her ‘Fan! Fan!’ was the smartest thing. She was so smart to know that calling her she’d solve all her cute little problems. She’d say ‘Dolly’ and ‘Teddy’ and ‘yum yum’ when she wanted her toys or was hungry. Much smarter than Lily and Azalea who hardly spoke a word and were always wandering about.

She dressed Magnolia’s chubby form in different clothes for hours and cooed at her when she looked at herself in a mirror and clapped her hands. Her cheeks were round and red, her black hair silky and in orderly little braids. Unlike her sisters she never pulled the hairpins and bits of colorful cloth out, because she knew Fern would give her a reward for being a good girl.

All too soon though the time would come to an end.

The girls were almost a year old and would be transferred to the toddlers. Fortunately Fern could still go with them. The girls of the house were Nursed until they were three years old, though the children would mostly eat other food by then. It was considered healthy to let them try things and not force them to accept other food.