Play

We love play at our house. Thomas Trains, block towers, puzzles, and tea parties for the animals. I am constantly amazed at what play Claire comes up with when left to her own devices. Sometimes it mimics verbatim interactions that either Josh or I have had with her, sometimes its her own departure into imagination. Sometimes she just loves putting things together and taking them apart, sometimes she’ll hone in on one thing and repeat the behavior over and over. More and more often Conor has become part of her play as in “here Conor, hold this,” “Conor, snuggle mousey,” “Conor, don’t touch that!”

I know…she looks exhausted. I came upon this scene after she’d been playing in her room for a little while. Her animals were tucked into a bed she’d made and she was reading them a story. Sometimes she can be heard telling her animals “I be right back, go do the dishes. ” A line we’ve fed her when we need to excuse ourselves from her room before she is asleep at night.

Claire and Josh playing trains. Mostly Josh puts together elaborate track designs and Claire follows behind taking them apart. It drives Josh crazy.

Josh taking a moment to rest before Clairenado comes by and lays waste to his design. One day Claire is going to wake up in the middle of the night and find Josh and I playing with her trains. We indulge this interest of hers because of our own selfish desire to play trains and at least for me, meet that unment childhood desire to have a train set and train table.

Gidyup horsey! Claire has discovered that scarves not only are great for keeping warm in the winter but the also make great horse reins. Way to multi task Josh!

Retro bed tent. Sorry for the blurry picture. This tent is circa 1985. It was mine or my sisters from childhood. That’s right, vintage my little pony bed tent. My parents had the foresight to spare this beauty from garage sale or good will heaven. They pulled this treasure out last weekend and Claire is in love.