Why I think it's a bad thing my son sleeps with a baby doll

Now before you judge me, a self-proclaimed feminist and fierce equal rights advocate, hear me out.

It all started a week ago. We hosted a playdate at our house where one of Ethan's friends had her 6 month old brother joining us.  I pulled out Ethan's old bouncy seat from when he was an infant for the little boy.  After watching the baby use it, Ethan was FASCINATED.

He put a random baby doll (that he has never really paid much attention to) in the bouncy seat, saying "baby! baby!" (Note: That baby doll is the same size Ethan was when he was born, just 22 months ago, his first onsies fit her perfectly.)

Here he is giving the baby one of his many, many kisses!

He hopped in too, I think just to remind me who my real baby is.

Now here comes the interesting part.  Starting that night, Ethan started taking the baby to bed!  He kisses her "night-night" and asks for "baby" when it's time for bed.  Every night since then he's slept with this little doll in his arms.

Now why do I think this is a bad thing for my son?

Because I CANNOT STOP TAKING PICTURES OF HIM HOLDING THE DOLL WHILE HE SLEEPS!  Seriously, this is a problem.  I have to use flash to take the photos as it's obviously dark at night when he goes to bed.  I'm risking disrupting his fragile bedtime and sleep to take picture after picture.

See?  I can't stop!  This one even shows the puddle of drool under his cheek from his deep, happy sleep holding his "baby."  

It is a bad thing Ethan sleeps with a doll because his mother can't control herself!