. . . played with Betsy

Betsy was not feeling well yesterday so she came to spend the day with me. She was fine until noon, then the fever returned and by the time her mom picked her up, she was a sick little girl. Betsy came back today, feeling better, and we made a tent out of quilts and blankets. So far, she's kept down her ice chips and her sprite. She is the most beautiful little girl with the biggest eyes and a wonderful three-year-old sense of humor. But she is very independent. . . does anyone remember the old TV commercials where the young woman is telling the older woman, "Please, mother, I'd rather do it myself." That's Betsy in a nutshell.



Yesterday, a rainy day, before the fever came back, we played "cooking". We cooked play-doh in small copper pots. The candle holder was the stove. It was "very hot, Nana, be careful." We found lots of utensils that hadn't seen the light of day in years (potato masher, for sure). Some of the utensils will from now on be used to make texture and designs in Nana's paintings. Betsy's mom won't let her waste tape (after an incident where Betsy taped all the kitchen cabinets shut), but her Nana said it was fine, waste away, I have lots. The green plastic straw-like things, used to keep cut flower erect, were a hit. With a bit of tape, they became binoculars, tusks of elephants, hearing aids, sound-making tools. I love this little girl so much -- she keeps me silly and young.