Brilliant
[So I wrote this post a long time ago, shortly after Cheyenne gave the pizza to Riley, but unfortunately the pictures to go along with it were on my phone, and for some reason it takes us forever to get the pictures off my phone and uploaded… anyway, here’s the old post]
Cheyenne gave Riley a brilliant present, and she made it herself! It’s a pizza made out of felt complete with a crust, tomato sauce and multiple toppings (peppers, onions, olives, garlic, basil, pineapple, mushrooms, tomatoes, anchovies… am I forgetting something?). Sounds simple, but Riley has played with it everyday since Cheyenne gave it to her. First she made pizzas (a very elaborate process involving multiple baking steps, and multiple different ovens). Then she started making faces… then salads… sometimes she just sorts all the toppings into piles (or makes us sort them while she directs). The simplicity is actually what makes it brilliant. No batteries, no flashing lights or sounds, but it keeps her occupied and happy nonetheless.
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Riley doesn’t play with the pizza every day anymore, but it’s still a favorite toy. She stores the toppings in the front pocket of her pink back pack, so they come with us pretty much everywhere we go. When we flew home to Boston over Thanksgiving, Riley created a game with Michael and his girlfriend Courtney using the toppings and silly putty (a surprise addition to the backpack just for the long flight). Michael suggested making a calzone, and after explaining what a calzone is, Riley said, “You mean like a taco?” That’s my California girl!
[The calzone/taco]