the imagination game

I feel like I've never had a super stellar imagination. I remember myself being mostly a factual, braniac kind of kid that liked to organize and dictate things but not always pretend. I mean, I guess I did like to pretend. I know I played dolls and dress ups and school and stuff. But, I don't know, it didn't feel like imagination - it just felt real.

So now that I have aged just a few years, I feel that I am even less apt to imagine and thus can feel a little crazy sometimes when Alyssa is playing her imagination games (probably because I want to imagine it my way...hehe). Yet as a parent, watching my child, I am happy to see her imagine. It is something I value highly for her. I hope she will imagine for a very long time. Maybe I just need to let go of my own cut and dry ways and imagine along with her a little more willingly.

Anyway, Christmas time, as I have mentioned previously, was fraught with reenactments of the nativity. Since then we have moved on. This week it is talking on the cell phone, looking at pictures on the cell phone, and being Jon and Amelia and Baby Claire - which is a family in our ward in Vicksburg. 

First, pictures on the cell phone. Alyssa has a little ol' cell phone. She talks on it like she's talking to a real person - even more convincingly than me when I am pretending to talk on a phone. And she takes pictures with it. And then she will ask if you if you want to see the pictures. It's pretty fun. She and Erik took some pictures on Sunday.

Taking the picture:

Looking at the picture:

Erik has offered to let her use his phone to take pictures, but she prefers her imaginary pictures.

Second, playing Jon, Amelia, and Baby Claire. This just started last night but pretty much I laugh to myself when I think through all of these details. She sets up a tv.

Exhibit A: TV

We watch BYU football games all day. We yell and cheer and say, "GO BYU!" And then as far as who is who - Alyssa is Amelia, Erik is Jon, New Baby is Claire and I am Claire's sister. 

Exhibit B: Alyssa and "the mote"

Exhibit C: "Go BYU!"

I told Erik I wasn't sure if I could watch another imaginary football game. He told me its either that or a shepherd - take your pick!