I haven't heard much about Aina lately. She's still around sometimes, usually in the car when Alice is expounding on the virtues of some new rule she's learned. No, the topic du jour these days is Barbie. Alice has seen several Barbie movies: Barbie as Rapunzel, Barbie in the Nutcracker, Barbie in Swan Lake, Barbie in Fairytopia, and probably one more. I've been impressed with the quality and story development in these films as far as kids movies go. The heroine is strong, there's a good moral to be learned, and the music isn't half bad. Alice eats it up. Alice pretends to be Barbie. She rarely wants to act out the literal story she's seen, though. She has adapted the film image/character of Barbie into the iconic princess figure that Alice already plays. Other characters from the films are inconsequential. Alice plays Barbie and then dictates how we, the other brand new characters, respond and converse with Barbie in the particular drama she is acting out at the moment.
Our new house has a bay window that is perfectly situated and sized for a miniature stage. Barbie has already put on several voice and dance performances to audiences large and small.
Oh Aina, I miss hearing about you. I love that Alice has stepped from the passive observer into the lead role, but I wonder sometimes about you. How is Jonie? Are you guys growing up as fast as Alice seems to be?