Lately, both of my girls have been wishing for kittens. I encouraged them to have imaginary ones, since they can’t have real ones just now. I told both of them the story of the imaginary cat I had when I was about Larkspur’s age: Her name was Kit Kat, she was orange, and she went to school with me. Larkspur said that it would be a whole lot easier to pretend she had a kitten, if she could see it. So, I decided to help my girls, just a bit.
Someone left a cardboard box in our driveway one morning, and inside were two kittens, and a note. How strange! Larkspur had no idea what to think.
Beatrix on the other hand didn’t care where the kittens came from, she was just excited (a little.) Stuffed kittens in a box in the driveway! How perfectly normal, how wonderful!
The girls admired their kittens, and then carried the note over to Jonny so that he could read it to them.
It said something like this: To the two blond headed little girls who live here, I can no longer take care of my kittens. Could you please take care of them and give them names? Sincerely, A Kind Old Stranger.
(there was a bit more, but I can’t remember.) Larkspur at this point is definitely thinking that there is something a bit strange going on.
“It was mommy!!”
“But, the letter says, a kind old stranger.”
“Daddy, I know it was mommy!”
My girls have very few stuffed animals, so the kittens were quite welcome.
(they’re a little creepy looking though! those eyes!)
I think this photo serves to prove that we have at least one good reason not to let Beatrix have a real kitten.
It took us several tries to convince her that she should carry her kitten carefully and treat it gently. This conversation was very similar to the ones we have with her about her baby brother (no, she isn’t allowed to carry him no matter how careful, but must be reminded to treat him nicely every. single. day.)
Larkspur didn’t waste anytime at all creating outfits for both kittens (another benefit to having a pretend kitten rather than a real one.)
I’ve never met a kitten that liked to be walked on a leash while adorned in sparkly pipe cleaners. Well, I’ve never tried. But nevertheless, I do think we bought ourselves some time in the kitten department.
Pretending is almost as fun. I’ll just keep telling Larkspur that.
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