Joy School Fun: Princess Style!

  Last Tuesday was my very last time to teach Joy School with this group of girls. It was bittersweet! This term, we’ve been pretty “loose” with our definition of Joy School, and have been coming up with our own themes and activities. For our last time together, I chose a Princess theme! The girls all wore dresses, and we did princess things. Like have a “tea party”. (Water in a teapot, slices of cheese and apple, and pretty teacups and saucers.)

I also taped packing paper to the windows, and asked the girls to draw some castles and princesses for me.

Siu Jeun took care of stacking the crayons…and sneaking a few nibbles here and there. (Mmm…confetti diapers! Heh.) After our art session, we made like Cinderella…and did the laundry. Oh, yes ma’am, we did! And they liked it. (Remind me to wear a princess dress the next time it’s time to do laundry. It might make it more fun!)

The girls decorated their Princess crowns. (Check out the awesome horse on the crown on the far right!)

Oh, and Siu Jeun was happy in this picture. I asked the girls to hold his hands so he couldn’t take his crown off…but he seemed pretty smitten with the three princesses surrounding him!

 

We finished up the day with a rousing rendition of, “Hi! My Name is Joe!” (Please tell me you know that song!! I still remember it from Kindergarten!! Actually, please tell me you DON’T, because I really want someone to tell me to tape my kids dancing to this song. Heh. Not that I wouldn’t tape it anyhow, but there’s something so reassuring about a request.)

 

One last story – at the beginning of the day, Ming Wai and our little blond princess up there were outside playing in the rain. Miss Brunette wanted to stay in, so I left her in the playroom while I tidied up the kitchen and got ready for some activities. When I came back, she was sitting on the floor in front of Siu Jeun, holding his hand, and gazing at him. You  know the gaze. (She was, of course, just gazing at him like a girl would gaze at a baby…but still.) She turned to me, “Sister LoLo, he gave me a hug!” I bit back my first response (of course he did! he loves pretty girls) and just said, Oh, that’s nice! instead. She then returned to her gazing, and he leaned over and pecked her on the cheek.

That’s the point when I nearly fainted. He’s not even two yet. Oh, have mercy. He was supposed to protect Ming Wai from all the Big Bad Boys when they’re bigger, not woo all of her friends!

Princess BBJ and the Castle

Once upon a time, there was a Princess named Bubba Jyu. She was good and kind and lovely and yadda yadda yadda.

What bothered this princess was that she had no castle to call her own. Oh, sure, her parents lived in a castle, but theirs was not quite her style. There were far too many doors she wasn't allowed to open, and rules about bedtimes, and a serious lack of toddler-reachable candy stashes.

In an effort to appease the Princess's delicate sense of style, the King and Queen took her on a Royal Outing in search of a castle. What they found was Gillette Castle.

The setting was lovely, and Princess Bubba Jyu was dressed in one of her prettiest frocks for the occasion. (That, and the King brought along his favorite camera to take pictures of his favorite princess. The blue sweats that the Queen had chosen for the Princess to wear that day were given a hearty Nay, and the King dressed the Princess himself.) The castle was patterned after one that the owner had seen in Europe. Of course, the owner, one William Gillette (a famous actor in his day, best known for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes for over 30 years on the stage, radio and in silent movies) never called it a castle - he called it a pile of rocks on a hill. In polite company, she was called The 7th Sister, named for the 6 hills surrounding his own.
Oh, and the Queen would like to warn all pregnant women - please, for the love of all that is good in scrapbooking and blogging, never take a seated picture unless the photographer agrees to only shoot you from the shoulders up. You'll thank me later.
The Princess fully felt the majesty of the place and gave it all the reverence it deserved.
The Princess quite admired the view from the castle - a sweeping scope of the Connecticut River flowing by.
Princess Bubba Jyu was also all too happy to oblige the King in taking shot after shot of "smelling the flowers" pictures.
The Princess soon found herself a little nook, just her size. The castle was full of wonders and surprises!
The inside of the Castle was full of beautiful treasures, including wooden light switches, over 40 handcrafted doors (all unique!) and secret little doorways that let the eccentric actor either surprise his guests in a stairway...or slip out when faced with unwanted visitors.
The King, Queen and Princess had a lovely time touring the grounds, enjoying the foliage and the beautiful flowers and meandering through the home-turned-museum.
In the end, however, it was determined that this was not, in fact, a suitable castle for Princess Bubba Jyu. The mere fact that it was a museum meant that stairs could only go up, never down. Rooms could not be entered, beds could not be tried, and chairs must remain sitter-less. No, this was not the place for a Princess Bubba Jyu, but she had a lovely time anyway!

Princess Bubba Jyu enjoyed the lovely grounds, and all of the admiring fans. However, she decided that her very own Castle was the best one for her. Stairs went any way you wanted them to, all beds were open for testing and no chair was off limits. She determined that she could be happy in her little Castle, with the King and Queen, for quite some time.

The end.

The Princess and the Acorn

Once upon a time, there was a princess named Bubba-Jyu. All her friends called her "Bubba-Jyu" for short.

She grew up in a simple home, with a Queen and King that loved her very much and tried very hard to find ways to amuse and educate her.

One fine day, the whole family ventured out to explore a local Place of Learning. They saw beautiful buildings, ate fabulous food and enjoyed delicious creamy ice cream.

However, something was lacking for the Princess. All of these things were so grand, so wonderful...and so large. She needed something she could have, and hold, and love.



Her mother, the beautiful and wise Queen LoLo, happened to spy just the thing - a small acorn, nestled in the grass. She scooped up the tiny green jewel and presented it to the Princess.




Princess BBJ was overjoyed!


She had her very own little acorn...just for her. It was the perfect size for her little hands to cherish.
As they strolled along, they happened upon a beautiful fountain. The fountain was flat on top, with lots of numbers and dates, representing the number of female students this Institution had accepted to its hallowed halls in those years.

This flat-topped piece of art happened to be the perfect hiding place for the Princess' little acorn.
Again and again she threw the acorn into the watery table, delighted at how well it was hidding against the spotted granite.

Now the Princess would like to know - Can you spot the acorn in the pool?

The Princess and the Jelly Donut

Before we start, I just have to make my little Thursday spiel:

Stats: 25 weeks


Measurement: 41"


Weight: +21 lbs (Oops. The doctor says I'm not allowed to go on vacation any more. ;-))

Alright...now for the good stuff - MESSES.

Oh....sorry. I forgot. This story isn't about a Mess, it's about a Glorious Experiment, and this story isn't about BBJ, but Princess BBJ.

(You all thought I'd forgotten, hadn't you? Let's just say, the closer my sweet princess gets to 2, the harder it is to remember that she's a princess.)

Once upon a time there was a princess. Princess BBJ was sweet, kind and good (when she wanted to be) and loved by all who met her.

One fine morning, Princess BBJ's nearest neighbor, and close friend, was invited for breakfast. Knowing how much the Princess enjoyed sweets, and wanting to curry favor, Aunt SheShe arrived bearing a Treat.

This was not just any Treat, but a Treat she was sure the Princess would particularly enjoy. (Indeed, who does not enjoy a fresh jelly-filled donut?) Imagine Aunt SheShe's surprise and pleasure when she discovered that the Princess had never before tasted the spendor that is a jelly-filled donut! Aunt SheShe carefully cut a section of the donut away, and presented it to the Princess. Alas, the princess was not in an adventurous mood and declined the treat, going so far as to remove the offending morsel from her mouth.

Aunt SheShe was understanding, but the Queen was mortified. How could the Princess be so rude to one of her dearest friends? Aunt SheShe, however, had wisdom beyond that of the Queen and knew it was better not to force the mouthful on the Princess.

Eventually, Aunt SheShe was called away on business, the offending donut still glistening on the Princess' plate. The Queen decided to ignore the donut, and set about to prepare a breakfast that the three of them were sure to enjoy - spiced and fluffy pancakes.

The Queen finished her preparations, served a small helping to the Princess, and sat down to break her own fast. When the Princess had finished playing with her food, the Queen decided to introduce the donut one more time, as she was nearly certain the Princess would enjoy it. The Queen dabbed a finger in the jelly-filled center and touched it neatly to the Princess' lips. The Princess, surprised, stuck out her tongue to clean off the offending dab, only to discover that it was delicious.

The Princess' eyes lit up and the Queen turned away, satisfied. As the Princess rarely deigned to eat for an audience, the Queen did not turn around again to consider the Princess until the Princess had declared that she was done.

When the Queen turned around, she was shocked to find the donut still intact on the plate, not a bite missing. However, upon closer inspection, she did discover that one very important change had taken place - the donut was now empty.

Where once had been a glimmering pile of Red Dye #40, now was a vaguely pink cavern, mangled by tiny slippery fingers. The stain of the filling had already begun to set into the Princess' fingers and cheeks. The Queen removed the breakfast tray and cleaned the Princess' sticky hands and cheeks (not before taking a few pictures for the blog).

In the end, the Queen was satisfied with the Princess' acceptance of the Treat, Aune SheShe was thrilled that her gift had been received so well, and the Princess was happier knowing that she was full of jelly, and knowing that there were splendors undiscovered, just waiting for another breakfast.

The stain remained for the remainder of the day, a reminder of the Delicious Treat and the enjoyment that a dab of jelly could bring to the life of a young Princess.

(For those of you who are new to this blog, go check out my past Princess Stories, for more of my literary nonsense.)

The Princess & BoBo Bunny

Once upon a time there was a princess. Once upon a time there was a princess and her bunny. Once upon a time there was a princess and her BoBo bunny.



BoBo bunny loved the princess. BoBo bunny followed the princess everywhere, and gave kisses to all of her friends. BoBo bunny never complained when the princess gave him wet, sloppy love. In return, BoBo comforted the princess and reassured her. BoBo blocked the light from Princess' eyes when she had to take naps in strange places (like visiting her grandparents) and rubbed her cheek when she needed that extra something to help her fall asleep.



BoBo was so proud the day the princess decided to allow him to join her minions. He was even prouder the day the Queen allowed him out of the crib and around the house. BoBo has promised to be a very good boy and always make sure he is back in the crib on time for the Princess' daily naps and her evening bedtime.



BoBo, we love you. Now, please don't let us down when we move to our new castle. The Princess is counting on you!

The Princess Points Out Differences

Once upon a time there was a princess. She was lovely and sweet. Her mother, Queen Mama, adored her little princess and allowed the princess to follow her around all day long.

Occasionally, this would include the princess following her mother around her boudoir, watching in amazement as Queen Mama applied her various lotions, potions, creams and powders. Often, though, something different would catch her eye. Princess BBJ simply could not get enough of the differences between her small body and that of her mother's. She would point. She would laugh. She would question. She thought her mother's face was funny. She thought her toes were ridiculous.

The most marvelous thing, though, was her mother's collar bone. She thought that was just about the most bizzarre thing she had ever seen. She would poke her mother's collar bone, and then poke where her collar bone ought to be. Nothing! No bump. No hardness. Just squishy baby.

Someday, Princess BBJ. Someday, you too will have a collar bone. When you are in elementary school you will discover that you can carry oranges around on your shoulders. When you are in high school, you will discover how to dress yourself to show off your best features and hide the ones you don't like. (The Queen held out hope that her daughter would inherit her lovely wrists.)

As the Princess poked and laughed and question, Queen Mama dreamed of the future, while still being unwilling to let go of the past.

The end.

Things are Changing in the Castle

Once upon a time there was a princess. The princess was petite and lovely. The princess had minions and good friends, and chocolates on special occasions. The princess had a mommy who loved her and a daddy who loved her. The princess was rather a good baby, if the Queen could provide adequate down time, up time, sleep and bottles of sweet milk.

One day the princess became confused. It seemed that every time she turned around, things were...different. Things moved. Things disappeared. She became nervous. Then there was the time when she just couldn't ignore it anymore. She walked into her room...and something was wrong. What was it? What was it??? That was it! Under the window...the couch. Where was the couch? She knew the couch had been there before - she remembered the pale blue blanket that was on top of it, the stuffed animals that were always just out of reach. She walked into the room slowly, walked right up to where the edge of the couch used to be. She started to inch forward, nervously. What if the couch was still there, she just couldn't see it? It had always been there - where could it have gone? Suddenly, she lost her nerve. Throwing a nervous giggle at her watching mother, she turned and ran back out of the room. She got a few steps into the hall before her curiosity got the best of her. She crept back into the room, boldly approaching where the couch used to be. Mustering all her courage, she bravely stepped past the edge of the invisible "couch", expecting to bump into something at any moment. No bump! No couch! Finally, she knew she wasn't imagining things. Things all over the house were disappearing. The TV next to Mommy's computer. The chair next to the guest bed. But where could it all be?

Mommy tried to explain - everything is in the garage. We had to put it out of the way to make the house look better.

Her mother pondered - how do you explain to a 17 month old princess that in a mere two months, this would no longer be their home? That it had to stay neat and tidy so that people could come and look at it and see a pretty home that they wanted to buy? How do you soothe her nervousness and make her feel safe and distract her from how different everything is?



Her mother, the Queen, came up with a game plan. They would find new things to play. With the extra stuff moved out of the way, the home became a veritable HOTBED for roughhousing, intense games of Chase, and amazing hiding places. One night, the Princess actually fooled her mother! As they chased around and around the house, the Princess slipped underneath the piano and her mother went right by her. The Princess was learning to enjoy this new space!


The second part of her mother's plan was to allow the Princess some previously un-offered comforts. Chocolate, when she was not asking for it, but no more than a piece or two a day. Her lovey, carried all over the house when it wasn't nap time. Extra snuggles and books at bed time. Oh, and more Silly Mommy Moments to make her laugh.



(So far, the Queen's plan seems to be working. The Princess is adjusting to her changing surroundings and her attitude is much better - she's even playing happily with Cousin E this week! Now, if only we could get some buyers in here to SEE our clean home!)

It pleases the princess

Well, no, this isn't anything I made. And no, Princess BBJ is not present in the video.

However...it made the princess sing and dance, so we're passing on the joy to you!

Cheers!

The Princess takes a Journey, Pt. 2

The Princess required entertainment. Unfortunately, the mere fact that the Queen was her mother was most definitely not going to suffice.



Fortunately, for the Princess, a trip to the Aquarium and the Museum were in her future! The King and Queen bravely hired a coach and conveyed their angel to her afternoon of delights.

The Aquarium held many wonders, each more amazing than the last.




The Museum held little that could interest the Princess for very long - being already two hours late for her afternoon nap, she fell asleep soon after entering its quiet halls. She awoke only when the King and Queen entered the Hall of Jewels, a room full or every specimen of precious and semi-precious stone. The nearness of the fine rocks roused the princess as nothing else could. She was nothing if not a fan of fine things!

In addition to entertainment, the Princess would dine on the finest things the city had to offer.

She daintily sampled the beverages.


She nibbled on the various sandwiches.



In the lobby of the restaurant where she enjoyed her last meal, she found a particularly rare and delicious specimen. (He, unfortunately, was of an unfriendly and taciturn nature, and was in no way cooperative with her desires to try him.) (His proper title is the Holy Cow of Harey Carey's.)



Of course, as she sallied from delight to delight, she could never forget to bundle up. The kingdom of Chicago is quite cold in February!




At the close of her journey, after a long and exhausting travel home, the Princess was tired. Not wishing to deprive the Queen of her company for more than a moment, she chose to forgo her afternoon nap in favor of playing and making polite requests for more, of whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted it. (She was the Princess, after all.)

As the evening drew on, the Queen gently placed the Princess in her high chair, with a few of her favorite biscuits, to placate her while the Queen took a few moments to regroup and think of how best to serve the Princess for the remainder of the day. Not 5 minutes had passed when the Queen heard a strange noise coming from behind her. When she turned to investigate, what should she find, but the Princess, delicately napping in her snack!





The Queen gently removed her Princess from her throne, placed her in her royal bed chambers and enjoyed the rest of her evening in peace. Truth be told, the Princess did not rouse until 6 am the next morning!

The trip complete, the King visited, the foods sampled, there was nothing left but for the Queen and the Princess to calmly finish out their days in each others company, enjoying their memories.

The Princess takes a Journey, Pt. 1

The Princess grew tired of her family circle.

Her cousin, though thoroughly thoughtful, was at times over-effusive in her attempts to nourish the body of the princess.



Her aunt, the Queen's sister, encouraged her daughter to be as giving and caring as possible.



The Princess bore the solicitude with charm and wit. However, there comes a time when a Princess must give vent to her true feelings. She missed her father, the King, terribly, and no amount of cantaloupe could soothe what ached.



The Princess determined to set off in search of her father. She knew the journey would be long, and she would very likely be called on to endure many hardships. She was undaunted - she must find the King.

Her journey was delayed by a snowstorm in the distant destination, and then by mechanical issues with her transport. Several travelers were moved to other flights, but the Princess would hold out for her own designated airplane. Her patience was rewarded - first with friendly angels in the airport, and then with a nearly empty airplane that afforded her and the Queen an entire row to do with as they saw fit.

Unfortunately for the Princess, that included the entertainment of the Queen. Again, the Princess showed remarkable restraint in the silliness of her mother's pastimes.


The Princess slept for less than an hour, at the beginning of her journey. Refreshed, she happily played for the remainder of the nearly 4 hour journey, either by herself, or with obliging nearby passengers.

The Princess and the Queen arrived at their destination tired, and eager to see the King. What marvels would this new city hold for them?



(To be continued....)