When I took Josie to the library last week, I could see how ready she was to play with other kids. My plan was to take her again yesterday but it rained and rained so we stayed home and I was enlisted as the other kid.
"Will you play with me?" she asked ever so sweetly, handing me Dolly.
So I did Dolly's voice: "I'm hungry, Josie!"
Immediately Josie grabbed a wooden plate that sits on the chest that is our coffee table (and a major play place,) heaped some coasters on it, and offered it to Dolly. "Here you go; I made you some banana pancakes." She pulled the plate back. "Wait a minute, I'll put some butter on them--in the middle and on top. Here you go."
So Dolly gobbled up the pancakes and then demanded watermelon. Josie went down to the end of the chest and came back with a handful of watermelon which she plopped onto the plate. "Here you go."
Greedy Dolly gobbled up the watermelon and demanded blueberries, which the now slightly harried Josie supplied. Then Dolly wanted broccoli.
"We're out of broccoli, Dolly."
"I WANT BROCCOLI!" shouted the very bad Dolly.
"NO, NO, Dolly," said the completely exasperated Josie. "You are being rude."
At which Dolly went face down and began to cry. Josie picked her up and kissed her. "Do you feel better now, Dolly?"
Dolly did.
I'd been thinking about those little kitchen sets they have for children to play with but we really don't have the space for one. And after playing with Josie today, I realized she doesn't need one. Her imagination supplies whatever's needed.
I couldn't take pictures, alas -- too busy being bad Dolly. But at several points Josie was doing a perfect imitation of an over-worked mother--darting from Dolly to the imaginary kitchen, trying to keep up with the never-ending demands.
We had fun.
