The World of Make-Believe and the Joy of Play

Natalie and Abby are getting more and more cute every day. At least I think so :-)

I have been recently working with them on pretend play and copying "grownup" behavior. I showed them how to "make soup" and offer the spoon or cup to a third party (mommy, daddy, horsey, bear). Since then, Abby can often be found with a cup and spoon stirring something. It's just adorable. Yesterday, I saw her stirring, and I told her to give the horsey something to eat. She did, and then she saw the bear on the floor next to the horse, and feed the bear all by herself - without prompting! Mommy is so proud. Abby also tried to "feed" Natalie - but this usually involves beating Natalie on the head with the cup or spoon.

Today, I modeling hugging their little dolls and loving on them. Then I handed them to the girls. The hugged on them too. Natalie even hugged it tight and rolled on the floor with it. Abby tends to hold the baby up close to her ear - like a big cell phone. It's just so cute.

They will both also pick up the play phones and put them to their ears. When they say my cell phone, they say "dada". Now, dada could mean anything in this case - not just Ben. But, I do think they know they talk to people (Poppy, Grammy, Yaya, etc) on my cell.

They are also big fans of hairbrushes. They try to brush their hair - or mommy's hair or daddy's hair. I'm also encouraging them to brush the horses hair or the baby doll's.

They are learning a few animals sounds. Monkey was first. I thought Abby had cat for a while but I think it was a fluke. Natalie did a definite meow in response to Snickers crying one morning (he was ready to go out). I can't get her to do it when I ask though. They occasionally will copy a ruff-ruff doggy sound.

Natalie and Abby are really fun to watch as they play. They love the rocking horse and the rocking chair (they love motion). They also love it when we push them on their little cars. Abby likes sitting in her bumbo and in the bouncy chair. Natalie loves playing with the little plastic kitty. They both love books - especially chewing on them, which is still annoying me. They have a few favorites - most with kitties on them. They also love our kitties and burst into choruses of "kitty, kitty, kitty" when they walk into the room.

After trying hard to have them forge attachments to first, their soft, pink, monogrammed blankets, and then to soft, animal-blankies (Natalie a bunny and Abby an elephant), the girls have picked their "thing". One cool night, I added two blankets: a yellow and green one and then a green one. Both are the softest fuzz on one side and then silky on the other. They love them. (Although, Natalie does love her bunny too). They chew on them and play peek-a-boo with them. I love it. I'm a big fan of kids having a special something.

The other thing the girls are LOVING is their slide. A few months ago, I found a step/slide combo on Craig's List. They were a little young for it then, at least to play on without very involved supervision, but now they are all over it. They climb up, turn around, and slide down. Sometimes they climb straight up the slide. They are really little monkeys. We have a little game we play. They sit at the top of the slide and I toss a soft block or small ball up the slide. It lands at the top and then they push it back down. It's great fun.




In addition to all the above, the girls have little plastic recorders they like to toot, blocks to play with, puzzle pieces to chew on, a variety of farmyard animals, and a half dozen balls to throw around. I try to be discriminent with their toys, but I swear that kids' toys have rabbit genes the
way they multiply! They won't be able to ever claim they weren't well entertained!