Jake's Essay: Playtime 101

By the time I made it from PJ the rescue lady's house to my forever home, I'd already started to figure out what toys - especially stuffies - were all about.  Shortly after I arrived home, I received a huge box of soft creatures in the mail from our Maryland friends. After getting over the shock of all the eyes staring at me when the box was first opened, I learned that a lot of fun was in store: shaking, plucking, squeaking, desqueaking, tossing, playing catch with and unstuffing those dozens of soft stuffies.  

Today, all of them are still fun, and there are times that all of them get drug out, 

but at other times there are favorites.  It is clear that to the humines 

that I have an agenda and am on the search for a particular character.

The blue rodent with the anteater nose is one of my favorites.

It is one of three toys that I have not (yet) de-stuffed or de-squeaked.

I'll dig to the bottom of the basket of toys for that one stuffie that I have in mind.

I've been known to fall in and, certainly, to tip the basket over.

Once I've found just what it is I want, I can play all by myself for a really long time.

I'm a one man team.

And I'm perfectly happy.

The play can turn into a real frenzy.

The stuffie takes on a life of its own and flies through the air, often landing in unexpected places that turn the games of fetch and catch into hide-and-go-seek.

I love it, and my people love to watch me.

(Mom tried to help me figure out why this next collage won't biggify.  We still don't know.)

(pout)

Fergi, on the other hand, doesn't know what to think.

She is learning to watch, but it is still pretty overwhelming for her.

She used to curl her lip (I ignore her - it's a girl-thing) and go into the other room.

Now she comes and goes, watching me.

Who knows what thoughts are going through her mind.

(It's probably better that I don't know.  They might not be complimentary.)

This one particular day, less than a week ago, Fergi noticed one particular stuffie.

Well, it's sort of a stuffie.  It is a frog, built around a dense foam ball, with a layer of stuffing.

That qualifies it as a stuffie. Right?

And it has fabric eyes and fabric legs.

She stared at it.

She sat near it, watching.

Looking from the frog to me (I was busy with my blue stuffie) and back again.

When Fergi wasn't looking, Mom moved the frog into the kitchen.

And very gingerly, Fergi walked over, picked it up

AND STARTED PLAYING WITH IT!!!!

IT WAS HER FIRST TIME TO PLAY WITH A STUFFIE!

Even I used my good manners, while interested in what was going on with one of the toys.

(Note:  I said "THE" toys, not "MY" toys.  I get excited to play with all of them,

but I promise to be good about sharing!)

Mom was thrilled to capture Fergi's "First Play Time With a Stuffie" on film.

 

Fergi even began to destuff the frog and promptly ripped one eye off!

Did you hear her POP it out?

I had to go rescue her - or she probably would have eaten it.

We figured this first step was really an "attack and devour" play time.

Fergi is mostly interesting in eating.  But there's a first step for everything!

She got a taste of it - playing.

And we think she sort of liked it.

Baby steps, Miss Fergi!

You are getting the idea!

I'm proud of you, little big sister.

We're ALL proud of you 

and VERY HAPPY for you!

Maybe one day we'll even play together!

But please don't rip my eyes out.  Okay?