Another World

Nope, I am not talking about an old daytime soap opera.


I'm talking about the world in which the two Mice live these days.


It is precious. Truly, I've dreamt of these moments from the time we found out we were having another little girl with Sunny Baby Mouse. Moments of girly giggles, twirling dresses, and high-pitched squeals....sisters and best friends.

Now, that time is here. They are creating a world of their own, a world which I have to wait for an invitation to enter.

I.Love.It.

The other day, they raced outside with their light-up Easter decorations, a green frog and a yellow chick, to "show the birdies". They ran around the yard together shouting "Birdie! Birdie!" or "Beedie! Beedie!" This was entirely their doing, and the only part I played was to open the door for them to go in as they conspired with each other about what they were going to do. Unfortunately, there were no birdie takers to look at the toys.

Miss Mouse has been getting a bit overly helpful to Sunny lately. She absolutely loves to care for her smaller sister, but we've had some confusion when smaller sister wants to reciprocate. Case in point: The other night, Miss Mouse, um, "helped" Sunny when she was done with a bathroom visit. In Sunny's opinion, it was only natural to show her elder sis appreciation by attempting to help her in return. That did not go over so well. Miss Mouse and I had a discussion about how Sunny is her friend and wants to be a helper, too. My sweet Miss Mouse is, of course, patient with this situation, although she seems to have backed off on her bathroom helpfulness toward Sunny lately!

On our way to Auntie Laura and Uncle Jon's hotel to swim on Easter Sunday, Grammy and I overheard this conversation in the vehicle:

Sunny: "Blah, blah, blah, blah - tine."

Miss Mouse: "Daddy drinks wine?"

Sunny: "No!"

Miss Mouse: "Uncle Jon drinks wine?"
Sunny: "NO!"

Miss Mouse: "Well, I don't know what you are saying."

Sunny, obviously distressed: "I - not - whining!"

Miss Mouse: "No, not crying whining, wine that you drink!"

Sunny: "No. No wine." - - Sunny notices Grammy is shaking with laughter in the front seat and asks in an offended, serious voice, "Grammy, what you laughing 'bout?"

--A bit later, Grammy found that Miss Mouse was so knowledgeable about wine because she and I take it to give for home Communion for two women in the congregation.

Last week the girls disappeared into Miss Mouse's room. I heard Sunny's toy boombox being cranked, and I went to investigate. Sunny met me at the door with a "Mommy, go out!", and Miss Mouse explained, "Mommy, she wants you to go out so that she can have her singing lesson. She's going to have a singing lesson now." Um, okay. Out I went to do up some dishes! Ten minutes later, Miss Mouse and Sunny both came out to invite me back in. I was told Sunny was done with her singing lesson, so they were ready to put on their performance. Apparently, there were dancing lessons going on, too, because after I was politely seated on the loft bed steps, they turned on the music, started "singing" along (singing the words they know, humming through the rest), and dancing around in fluffy costumes - Miss Mouse had a tutu; Sunny had a shawl. I clapped and ooed and awed so thankful that I have the amazing opportunity to be kicked out of their room and invited back in at 10:30 a.m... It's like sitting in a warm ray of sunshine through the window on a cold January day....something one doesn't want to end, and yet something that is so very fleeting.