Day 15: Imaginary Cousins

While I sat eating dinner and feeding Elyse, Ariel was playing with her Mr. Potato Head off to the side of our kitchen table.

All of a sudden, she called out to her imaginary cousin:

"Isla!  Isla!  Do you see these eyes Isla?  Do you see these eyes?"  Holding up the Mr. Potato Head's eyes.  "Isla, do you want to come over to my house?"
"Okay Isla, that's good."
"You can play with this one."

Ariel invited her cousin Isla over to play, and was in the process of playing with her, when another imaginary cousin arrived.
"Kianna!  Come and sit here Kianna!"  She pulled out a chair for her, then, "Oh no!  Kianna's down in the basement."

As if interrupting her train of thought, she paused to think, then turned to me, "Mommy.  Can I go down in the basement?  Kianna is in the basement."

I reminded her that Kianna was in the basement the other day, but she is at her home now.

"Sophie?" she asks.

I reminded her she's at home too with her sister Kianna, and we're all about to get ready for bed.

"Can I go to Isla's house mommy?"

"Not now sweetheart."  I consoled her, "but we'll see them soon."

Sunday as our Thanksgiving visit came to a close, Ariel wept after the loss of each of her cousins through our front door.  Their inevitable departure a devastating blow to her 2 year-old psyche.

***

Before bed, knowing it would brighten her spirits, I reminded her that Preschool is tomorrow morning, and she will get to play with all her friends.

She perked up, "*Jessica!  Jessica will be there!"

"Yes, you will get to play with Jessica tomorrow," I whispered, "now go to sleep."  Satisfied, she nestled her head onto my shoulder and let her body relax into my chest as I held her close in my arms before laying her down.

***

Peer relationships are fast becoming central to Ariel's interest and well-being.  She enjoys making connections with people, even imaginary ones, and I am enjoying seeing her reach out to the world.

As social as she can be, we all have our moments of wanting to be left to ourselves.  The other day on a family dog walk, we happened to walk by a random middle-aged couple who were cooing over Elyse in the stroller, and ranting over how cute Ariel was in her yellow rain boots walking Oreo.  Ariel stared them down, hard, and tried to obstruct their view of Elyse (who she calls, her sister, as in, "She's MY sister, and you can't look at her!")

Just as we passed the couple she said, "NO!  I don't like neighbours!"

Dan and I had to stifle our laughter at her adamant protest against these innocent passersby who Ariel associated as being neighbours, perhaps because I am always telling her to say hello to our real neighbours.

Clearly, friendships will be formed on her terms.

*name changed