Inter-Toy Communication

As I was giving Alina her bath last night, I was puppeteering a green squeaky frog wearing a bowtie as he hopped along the tub's edge. The curious child looked on and gingerly reached into the sudsy water to find an old school rubber ducky. She brought this yellow critter up to the tub's edge to meet the well dressed frog. There was a sense of anticipation in the steamy air. As these two opposing species came together - one amphibian, one fowl, all rubber - something unprecedented happened ... at least in the eyes of a 15-month old. They spoke to each other! Well, voiced by me anyway. Alina's eyes lit up and a giant grin splashed across her face. It's like she didn't know her toys were allowed to have conversations with each other. As if she thought only she could talk to them. She became very excited about this Bath Toy Summit. In her mind, alliances were probably already forming. "The bear on the innertube will side with the squirting fish. The frog is wearing the tie, so he'll be perceived as The Leader. Oh, the debates to come! The things they'll say! It's a very exciting time!" Then her machinations were interrupted when I poured water over her head to rinse out the shampoo. The cabinet appointments will have to continue next bathtime.