Queen Kelley

After a brief hiatus due to travel, visitors, and low motivation, I’m back. My husband still rocks. The kids are still cute. All is well.

More along the lines of cute kids, I’ve found something that is possibly cuter than Ladybug’s early walking: her pillow plunge. She is indebted to her daddy and sister for this latest discovery of wild fun. For several months now (maybe even more than a year), one of Butterfly’s favorite activities with her daddy is to construct “pillow houses,” which are—well—houses made of pillows. This activity has provided secret hideaways perfect for a dragon and princess or a “fadder” bear and his baby bear. The pillows have sheltered storytimes and pretend picnics. They’ve formed the walls of extravagant tunnels. Not long after Ladybug learned to walk, she discovered the joy of pillows as well.

Lately, the girls have devised a new game—one that doesn’t require their daddy’s genius engineering skills. Butterfly gathers the numerous pillows that fill our upstairs bedrooms and tosses them into an enormous pile. Then she starts at one end of the hall and runs toward the pillow mound. Once she reaches it, she hurls herself into the softness. Butterfly, of course, is a master at various landings. She even climbs on our bed and jumps down into the pile, rolling and giggling.

Ladybug’s landing is a bit more straightforward. Awkwardly dodging her sister as they both hurry down the hall, my little bug weebles and wobbles in her cute run toward the pile. When she reaches it, she flops down face first—no hesitation, no fear. Then she rolls over, gets up, and cackles like mad.This routine plays for both girls again and again. Sometimes they even get down to their undies and diaper (greater freedom of movement, you know). Then, finally, Ladybug’s all done.

I challenge you to find a more entertaining way to spend the evening.