Monkeys

So here's the scene...Mommy and Abbie are walking back from Chinatown. It's early afternoon and time for a nap. We pass by an art(?) gallery and look what they have outside: monkeys on a bench. So Abbie touches the monkeys, sits on the bench, talks to them, and then decides that she's going to bring them back to the hotel with us. No, she doesn't throw a buy-me-this-Mommy tantrum. Instead she (just pretend, Mommy) loads them one at a time into the stroller except for the last one who wants to be held (Abbie is holding "Up Mommy" monkey in her arms in this photo.)

It's all very precious and Mommy indulges this imaginary play since it's so adorable. But the thing about Abbie is that she doesn't break character. So the entire way back to the hotel she insists on being carried because two monkeys are in the stroller so there is no room for her. No, she doesn't want to sit on their laps (she is too big.) No, they cannot sit on her lap (there are too many and Abbie would be squished.) Mommy reasonably explains to Abbie that it is too difficult for Mommy to carry Abbie and push the stroller so Abbie should ride in the stroller. The pretend monkeys will scoot over so there is enough room for Abbie. Nope, not acceptable.

When Mommy could not travel another step holding Abbie, a compromise (of sorts) was reached. Abbie decided that she, Mommy, and all of the monkeys would hold hands and walk down the street. And, because she doesn't break character, Abbie held the imaginary hand of one of the monkeys all the way back to the hotel.