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Tuesday, October 23, 2007

ALICE AND PICKLES AND ME!

At Easter, when rumours were that I'd be included in the next batch of referrals, I bought a little, leggy, cream and soft bunny. It's a Jellycat one, I thought that it was called 'Mr Pickles' - so that's how I refer to him with Alice, actually he's part of the 'Pickles' range.

This little bunny came to China. I gave him to Alice the day that we met. We started a game, holding him away from Alice, jiggling him closer while saying "Here comes Mr Pickles, and Mr Pickles . . . tickles!" while rubbing him against her cheek. She has loved this game from the day we met. In China, Alice sucked on his ears, arms or legs - she doesn't do this so often any more.

Institutionalised children are reported not to like soft toys as they're not used to them, presumably as they're tricky to keep clean in an institutional situation. Alice ADORES soft toys, Pickles especially.

As bunnies do, Pickles quickly multiplied - so we have several small cream bunnies and a pink one, as well as a larger one. For her birthday Alice also had an even bigger one. One small cream one can always be found in her bed, another attached to her pushchair, as well as several of different sizes in the playpen. When we went away a few weeks ago I counted 4 travelling with us - you can't have too many Pickles!!

Today Alice was playing with 3 at once - small, pink Pickles, medium one and the new large one. At one point she had 2 and I had 1, I called her and showed her big Pickles, she grinned and headed towards us. After having a cuddle with him, she did something new - she offered me an ear, to suck (she held the ear up to my mouth, no mistaking the intention)!! BIG PROGRESS - sharing, offering comfort and Pickles, huge - I was so flattered.

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