Tea party

Jolly's new favorite game is Tea Party. First we played with the real espresso cups and saucers, then we built cups out of duplo, then we had imaginary cups. Then I suggested we use the retainer cases (as in, the plastic cases that Guinevere and I kept retainers in in high school, which were still kicking around in a bathroom drawer because Jolly likes to play with them). So, the green case is my cup, the gray one is Jolly's cup, and the orange one is the tea pot. This adds extra excitement to the tea party because the cups can be opened and closed. Guests at our tea parties so far include the Ewok, digger, dump truck and garbage truck.

Jolly is also really into Curious George. We currently have the big book of all 7 original stories out from the library, and as I write this Jolly is happily paging through it and looking at the pictures. The last story is Curious George goes to the Hospital, which for obvious reasons is especially interesting to Jolly right now. We've read through the whole book, but yesterday we just looked at the pictures because my throat hurt too much to read all day. Jolly also has requested some of the same books over and over and over... I think I read "The Jolly Barnyard" at least 15 times yesterday. This has the riveting narrative of, Farmer Brown feeds the horses, then he feeds the cows, etc. Reading books now involves a lot of saying, "what is the X doing?" on every page. Jolly wants to know what everyone is doing. "What is the little boy doing? What is the cat doing? What is the dog doing?"

I've been having lots of fun with Jolly, but it's really hard not to be able to hold Rupert or even see him very much because of my cold (which is turning out to be a really nasty one that is lasting for many days). Yesterday was hard too, because I felt really sick so caring for a toddler was much more challenging than usual. I am feeling a bit better today. Jolly is also doing better, but still coughing so the quarantine is still in effect.

Jolly often requests to see Baby Rupert, and the we open the door and look at Baby Rupert and Mummy. Jolly then gets so excited that he runs up and down the hallway. Last night he lovingly put a new diaper on his baby doll and gave it a bottle and put it to bed in Rupert's crib.

Jolly also likes to sing made-up songs. I think Uncle and Aunt with their musical talent and creativity may have contributed to this. Instead of Twinkle Twinkle he wants a song about Baby Rupert or Mummy or his turtle or dog or whatever, and then we have to come up with something.