Denise the Menace

The little princess is visiting for a sleepover. She's three, and like family to us. We love her so much.

All that sugar aside, let's get down to the spice. She gets into everything. That's why I nicknamed her Punch & Judy--it sounds like a name with a lot of bravado, gumption and fun. And like it combines the energy of two average children--or a whole puppet show--in one. I used to call Figgy Punch & Judy when she was little too.

Here are the things we did today since 3 P.M.:
1. Persistently asked an adult to move the black iron chair on the terrace closer to the railing, in the hopes that we could stand on it. Request thwarted.
2. Almost overturned the potted magenta ranunculus onto the living room rug, except H. caught it midair.
3. Opened about six of the little glass doors enclosing the red fire extinguishers in the very long hallways here. Even though asked repeatedly not to.
4. Hung upside down from the railing in the private movie screening room downstairs--but then so did our new friend, Paulina, 2 1/2, who lives here.
5. Played happily with Nikki, our dear friend from Montclair.
6. Had Reese's peanut butter ice cream birthday cake and got two presents. Smiled as five people sang "Happy Birthday" to me. Blew out all four candles. Asked if could take presents home.
7. Ate animal crackers [Lilly Pulitzer edition, to benefit World Wildlife Fund] in bed.
8. Took a long bubble bath and filled up the pink shower cap with water and dumped it out, since cap was closest thing to bath toy we had around.
9. Went to the playground, picked up acorn caps, put them on our thumb. Went on the swings and the slide.
10. Asked to be held rather than walk on a couple of long walks.
11. Peed on the carpet a couple of times and then announced it.
12. Pushed the elevator buttons. Every time.
13. Swiped H.'s cell phone from the car, but readily admitted it and gave it back.
14. Tried to climb on the decorative display in the lobby.
15. Swiveled in a cool chair in the common area.
16. Almost broke one of the lights on the entryway steps. "It's hot," we said, after exposing the bulb and touching it.
17. Set the table.
18. Sat at Figgy's computer and announced we couldn't leave for the playground yet because "I have to work more. I not finished."
19. Played with the cute birthday cake puzzle Nikki and her parents gave us. Imagined that DVD cabinet was an oven. Put cake in, closed doors, opened them carefully using mitten for oven mitt.
20. Went through Fig's treasure box, dumped out her box of incense sticks.
21. Changed the time on the digital clock.
22. Threw pizza slice in the pot of water soaking in the sink.
23. Cuddled up with Figgy, then Alice, to read bedtime stories.

Can you blame me if I called her Ramona once in the midst of it all, a nod to Beverly Cleary's Ramona the Pest?

Signing off grateful for this lovely little presence in our lives, and for the joy and love she brings out in H., Figgy, me and Sug.