Let's pretend play

Dear Olivia, While Maddox and Fey slept, you and I put on some lipgloss and then got out your Strawberry Shortcake clubhouse with all the shortcake girls and had a campout. They are tiny figurines, but what was so cute that this imaginary day, you were one of them. You introduced yourself, and you were part of the party. At first I thought you were using one of the shortcake girls as yourself, but when you went to get your own sleepover supplies, I realized that you just included yourself in this bite-sized party as one of them. How exciting to see you grow and expand in your play. Yesterday we played "pizza joint." You were the waitress, and I was the customer. You took my order, brought me a drink, some blueberries, and my favorite pizza. We chatted and I gave you money. Then the game was over. How fun it was to play with you. Most days, you and Maddox play together, and you have this ritual right after lunch where you like to play "shark attack". You get in your boat (your bunkbed), with all of your "friends" (your stuffed animals), and then you try to avoid the doom of the sharks below. I could hear you bossing your brother from time to time (okay, most of the time), but he doesn't seem to mind. And most of the time you both explode into giggles, and I know everything is okay. The joys of childhood. Never forget it. With love, Your mama.