Pooh's Corner

Our sitter/friend, Anna, is somewhat of an artist. She really is talented and it's fun to see what she creates with our children. It's fun but it creates an expectation that I, she who cannot draw a straight line, is incapable of meeting.

This week I threw out, as I was leaving the house, "Oh, Anna, there's popsicle sticks in the art cabinet if you wanted to make puppets." She smiled. I left. That was the moment that would change my weekend forever.

You need a little background. Bubba has been reading Pooh books for the past two weeks and has named each member of our family after a character in the Hundred Acre Wood. (Have I told you this already?) I am Kanga (naturally, the mommy figure), KB is Roo, Thomas is Pooh (naturally), Little is Tigger, and Honey. . . well, Honey is Eeyore. (I think that is hilarious - he does not.) To demonstrate the place that Anna has in the heart of my son, she is Christopher Robin. Yep. Our newer sitter, Joanna, finishes us off as Piglet. (Several friends are still up for grabs, so if you think you have the brains to be Owl or the "know-it-all"ness to be Rabbit you are welcome to come keep the kids for an evening!)

And back to the puppets. I returned from my one short errand to Walmart to find that Pushman, as she is so lovingly called, had created two puppets in my absence: Pooh and Roo, of course. They are adorable. Bubba and KB carried them around all day and the first thing Bubs said to Little when we picked her up from camp was, "See Pooh and Roo. We'll get Pushman to make you a Tigger." I smiled and thought how fun it would be for Pushman to make a Tigger puppet on Tuesday when she comes over.

This morning Honey left at 8:30 to go help our friends move into their new apartment. He was barely out the door when Bubba asked me if I could make Little a Tigger puppet. I said I would try, crossed my fingers, and got out the construction paper, popsicle stick, and masking tape. I had barely finished when Little came in and said I needed to make a Kanga for myself. Thankfully, Bubba went to get a story book for me to see the pictures and within half an hour the Hundred Acre Woods had spilled out all over my kitchen. See what you started, Pushman!

Once we had the puppets, I suggested to my children, who don't know how to play, that we go watch the Tigger Movie and act out the parts with our puppets. Bubba lit up like a candle at the idea and really got into it. Here you see "Tigger" (played by Bubba) and "Kanga" (played by Little) discussing whether or not they would go out bouncing together.

KB sat on the couch with Roo and Rabbit and would lift the puppets when her characters came on screen. She jumped a little when Bubba smacked her Rabbit puppet just as the Tigger on screen bounced on the animated Rabbit.

Rabbit is our nod to the special needs animals in the Hundred Acre Wood. He has a bad eye, probably from being bounced by Tigger, and surgery cannot correct it. My three children with glasses, two of which have had surgery on weak eyes, didn't even notice and love Rabbit with an equality I find a bit inspiring. Hallmark could use this stuff!

The Friends", as Bubba calls them, have been constant companions throughout the day. One took a nap with KB, two watched Bubba race cars during room time, Little and Bubba spent 20 minutes putting them all to bed before dinner.

As I put Bubs to bed tonight he looked at me and said, "Tonight I want to dream, Mommy." We were about to pray and so I added a prayer that God would allow Bubba to have dreams tonight that would bring glory to Jesus. When I said Amen, Bubba said, "I will dream a new Tigger Movie." I asked him to tell me all about it when he woke up tomorrow morning. He responded, "I will tell you with my puppet friends."

I can't wait.

Sorry you'll miss it.

Who knew what popsicle sticks and paper could do. . .