GROWING UP

Christiana sat on the living room floor, cradling her daughter, Stella, in her arms. Stella was now five months old, and Christiana marveled at how quickly time had flown by. Her once tiny, fragile bundle had transformed into a lively, curious baby with sparkling blue eyes and a toothless grin that could melt hearts.

Across the room, Helen was sitting with Gabriel, who was now eleven months old. Gabriel had inherited his father Simon's mischievous smile and was already showing signs of becoming a little explorer. He loved crawling around, pulling himself up on furniture, and discovering new things in the world around him.

The two mothers watched as their babies interacted, even though Stella was still limited to rolling over and babbling. Gabriel seemed fascinated by Stella's attempts at movement, and he giggled every time she reached out to touch his toys. Christiana and Helen exchanged a knowing smile, recognizing the budding friendship between their children.

"Can you believe how f