Playtime

Since we transformed the former play room into a school room, the girls each keep a toy chest in their room, with a toy organizer in Bethany’s room to sort all the little bits and pieces.   With Polly Pockets, Squinkies, and Legos being the girls’ favorite toys now, Bethany’s room is quickly becoming what Aunt Nanci used to call the “choking room”: always strewn about with tiny chokable playthings.  Messier activities like play-dough (Daddy's nemesis), stay outside in the garage.  

 

Bethany’s favorite activity is to ask mommy to fill the sink and then have her toy animals or dolls swim in it.   Though we can’t understand much of what she’s saying, she’ll carry on full conversations with each of her characters having a different voice, and I have no doubt she has the whole imaginary story she’s playing all figured out in her head.  

 

Amanda is in love with “Winter” from the movie “Dolphin Tale,” and she’ll create toy prosthetics for her stuffed dolphin and reenact parts of the movie with it.  She and Eva also love to play “Sniffy,” the adventures of their stuffed dog, with all the other stuffed animals playing their parts as needed. 

 

With the help of our neighbor, David built a solid new play structure for the girls in the backyard, complete with swings, slide, rope ladder, rock wall, and monkey bars.   It’s already provided hours of entertainment and exercise, and proven a big hit whenever their friends come over to play.  Even tiny Bethany is already a pro at climbing all over it.   

 

Eva also learned to ride a bike without training wheels this summer, practicing first on the soft grass and then in the driveway.  Now she’s riding like a pro with perfect confidence.