A Baby's Busy Day

"Mommy! Mommy!" A just-woken Baby bounced on her mother.

"Good morning, Baby," Baby's Mommy peeked through a pulled-open eyelid. She yawned, falling back asleep.

"Hummy! Hummy! Ju ju peeeeeiiiii...." Baby requested.

"I'm right here, Baby!" Hummy, the bedtime bunny mumbled. His face was pushed down into the ju ju pei blankie on Baby's pillow. "Ju Ju pei is right here too," came his muffled voice.

"Hummy!" Baby pounced onto the bunny, pulling the blankie closeo to her nose and inhaling deeply, while cuddling the plushie.
Hummy cuddled back, and together, they set out to find Daddy and Jie Jie.

"Jie Jie! Jie Jie!"

"Whoa!!"

Baby crawled and bounced her way off the bed, Hummy in tow, as she set off to find her cousin. She dashed across the hall, into the other bedroom, and opened the door. "Jie Jie!" Peeking in, Baby gave her cousin a cheeky glance.

"Baby! Come back!" Baby's mother, now awake, called. "Jie Jie never said 'come in,' so you're not supposed to go in!"

"Uhhh ohhhh...." Baby giggled. "Jie Jie sleeping!"

"Yes, Jie Jie is still sleeping, so leave her alone, okay?"

"Pooh Bear sleeping, too?"

Soft snores came from Jie Jie's bed, as if to answer the question.

"Come, Baby! Let's get you dressed," her mom called.

"No dressed! Baby go open doors!"

"You want to go open the mall doors with Daddy?" Her mom asked.

"Yesh! Jie Jie come too!"

"You want Jie Jie to come, too?!" A voice came from the doorway of Baby's room.

"Jie Jie!" Baby ran to hug her cousin.

"Awww, good morning, Baby! Good morning Mommy! Good morning, Daddy!" Jie Jie greeted her aunt and uncle.

"Goo morning Jie Jie!" Baby jumped about, missing the "d" sound as she always did.

"Where are your socks?" Jie Jie asked. "Did the Sock Monster take them?"

"Uhhh ohhh," Baby giggled, looking around. "They're right here!" She pointed to a drawer.

"Ohhh okay! Whew! I thought the Sock Monster came last night and took one!"

Baby giggled again, before returning to her original request. "Baby open door, pleeeeeeeaaaaase?"

"Okay, come with Baba!" Baby's dad invited, pulling her onto his lap. He wheeled them out into the hallway and through the play area, to the front. "Put this on, okay?" He held out a vest.

Jie Jie turned around. "Jie Jie is going to get a jacket, too, okay? That way, she won't be cold." She hurried back into her room, whispering greetings to the various plushies on the bed. "Gooood morning, You Are My Sunshine! Hi there, New York University Bear! Morning, Winnie the Pooh! Hey there, Curious George! Hiya, Gaston! Good morning, Twilight Seal!" She gave each plushie a pat and hug as she greeted them, before turning back around to grab her jacket and meet her cousin and uncle back outside.

The plushies began whispering and talking amongst each other after Jie Jie left. "Goooood morning everyone! Isn't it a lovely day today?" The You Are My Sunshine pillow beamed as she greeted her companions.

"Hoo hoo ha ha! What do you think we'll do today?!" Curious George asked.

"I don't know, but I sure hope today has honey! My tummy is rumbly...." Winnie the Pooh rubbed his belly with a paw.

Twilight Seal yawned, "I hope... aaaaawwwwmmmm... it involves a nap...." the glowing pillow pet fell back asleep.

Gaston the log-shaped ladybug pillow clicked his tongue and scurried about on top of Twilight Seal. "So much to do today! So little time! I hope we get to have an adventure!"

New York University Bear just sat in his spot. "I hope I get to stay right here. That Baby needs to learn how to play nice!"

Eater, the giant squishy anteater, Jie Jie had bought her from the University of California at Irvine, agreed. "She pulled me off the monkey bars Jie Jie made for her! And then as if that wasn't enough, she pushed me out afterwards! If Jie Jie hadn't been around to save me, who knows where I'd be now?" Eater exclaimed, shaking his head. "I've already needed surgery the last time Jie Jie came to visit. And so did you, Pooh! Do you remember?"

Pooh nodded. "Oh, bother. I hope nobody needs surgery again this time."

The delighted sounds of Baby and her cousin soon floated back to the room. "Looks like they're back," Curious George observed.

"Monkey bars!" Everybody heard Baby's demand.

"Oooh oooh ah ah! Monkey bars?! That's my favorite thing to play! I hope Jie Jie takes me out, and then I can play with Baby," Curious George exclaimed, beaming and sitting up a little straighter, in the hopes of getting picked to go play with Baby.

"Hmmm, why don't we go brush our teeth first?" Jie Jie reasoned.

Curious George slumped back down a little. "I suppose brushing teeth is important too," he mumbled, as Baby's voice resounded with a "yesh! Go bwush teeth."

The sound of rushing water eventually turned off, and Baby's voice cried out, "Moh gun! Moh gun!"

"Okay, go get Jie Jie a moh gun and then Jie Jie can wet it for you to wipe your face."

A little while later, Baby's voice came back. "Monkey bars! Monkey bars!"

"Okay, you want to play monkey bars?" Jie Jie asked.

"Yes! Yes! Mon-key bars!" Soft thuds on the floor reverberated back to the bedroom, where the plushies listened in with amusement.

"She must be jumping," New York University Bear observed.

"Oh, how fun!" You Are My Sunshine exclaimed. "She always seems to have so much energy."

"Do you want a friend to come play monkey bars with you?" Jie Jie's voice grew louder, as did the sound of footsteps.

"Yes! A friend!" More thuds, and the door finally opened.

"Do you want Curious George or Pooh Bear?" Jie Jie asked.

"George! George!"

"Okay, Curious George it is."

"Hooray!"

George sat up really straight, as Jie Jie carried him off the bed and gave him a cuddle, before going back to the monkey bars.

"Okay, play a little bit while Mommy gets ready for the morning rituals, okay?"

"Okay..." Baby climbed onto the monkey bars, half swinging, half walking through the bottom. "Push me! Push me!" She exclaimed, as Jie Jie held on to the frames for stability.

"Okay..." Jie Jie pushed with one hand as she held on with the other.

"Time for morning rituals!" Mommy sang out, as she headed into the shrine room.

"Hooray!" Jie Jie exclaimed, as she led Baby to the shrine room. She slipped into her room put on the religious garment.

"NO!" Baby screamed. "Monkeyyy bars!" She dashed back to the jungle gym.

"We can play more after rituals, Baby! Come on!" Jie Jie took Baby's hand.

"NO! NO!"

"Okay, fine, we'll do it without you..." Daddy warned.

"NO! NO! NOOOOOOOO!" Baby wailed, following her dad into the shrine.

"Get into your stroller," Daddy instructed.

Baby dashed back out to grab Curious George, before dashing back to the shrine room and climbing into the stroller.

"Mon-key bars!" Baby exclaimed, as Daddy pronounced the last words of prayer to the morning ritual. She ran back out, Curious George dragging behind her by his arm.

"Let's hurry up and eat," Daddy rushed, "it's almost 10, and work starts at 11."

"Yay! Food time!" Jie Jie exclaimed.

"Noooo! Mooooonkeeey baaaars!" Baby whined.

"After breakfast," Jie Jie informed Baby. "Mommy, Daddy, and Jie Jie are all veeeery hungry."

The plushies murmured amongst themselves, "I wonder what's for breakfast," Gaston tried to peer outside, to no avail.

"Breakfast! Hoo hoo ha ha!" Curious George jumped about in excitement.

"No, George! No breaaa-kfast!" Baby wailed.

"Fine, we'll eat without you," Mommy informed Baby.

"Noooo! No eat! Not eating!"

Jie Jie brought Curious George to the table, and sat him in the baby's spot. "George will eat with you," she offered.

"Nooo Jie Jie! No George!"

"You want to come eat with us?"

"No!" Baby climbed onto her chair, taking Curious George off and dropping him onto the floor.

"Okay, then. We'll eat without you." Mommy put a plate of food in front of Baby's spot. "This is for Curious George, okay? Take him off the floor, please."

Baby nodded once, reaching down to rescue the plushie.

"Oooh toast! Yummy," Curious George exclaimed, as he was brought back up, "and waffles!"

"Pancake! Baby want pancake!"

"We don't have pancakes today, Baby."

"Paaaancaaaaaakes!"

"Let's just start," Daddy shook his head.

Baby sat back, exasperated, as everyone closed their eyes and began their pre-meal prayer.

George dug in. "Mmmmm, WAFFLES!"

After breakfast, Jie Jie and Mommy got ready for work.

"No go work!" Baby clung to Mommy. "Play!"

"Mommy has to work, okay? Play with Daddy and Curious George."

"Nooo! No play Curious George!"

"Okay, then, Jie Jie will bring George back to the bed," Jie Jie warned, taking the plushie monkey into her arms. She helped George wave. "Byee, Baby!"

Baby pouted. "No! NO! NO!" she swung her arms around until they made contact with Jie Jie.

"Hey, no hitting!" Mommy and Jie Jie warned.

"No!" Baby hit Mommy.

"Fine, no beedo today." Mommy declared.

Jie Jie snuck off to put George back in her room, and went off to work with Mommy.

"There goes my day out," George mumbled, as he was placed back on the bed.

"Aww, it's okay, George," Winnie the Pooh patted the monkey.

George slumped next to Twilight Seal and Gaston.

"At least you won't need surgery yet!" Eater stuck out his tongue.

"But playing with the Baby is so fun!" George sighed.

A few mopey hours passed, and the sliding door slid open again. Jie Jie's and Mommy's voices came through the hallway. "Lunchtime!" Gaston exclaimed.

"I'm going to go wash up," Jie Jie's voice seemed close, and was getting louder, but it definitely wasn't directed their way. The door opened, and Jie Jie slipped in, hanging up her apron. "Heya plushies," she greeted them with a wave. "How was your day so far?"

"Absolutely wonderful!" You Are My Sunshine chirped.

"Oh bother, I think my tummy needs a spot of honey," Pooh Bear replied.

Curious George was still a little disappointed. "I suppose it's been okay. I wish I could play on the monkey bars again, though. They're so fun!"

New York University Bear shook his head. "Oh George, you'll have to learn to deal with disappointment better."

Jie Jie giggled. "I'll get you some honey, soon, Pooh! And George? Keep your hopes up. If Baby wants to play monkey bars again later, I'll be sure to bring you out," she reassured the monkey. She walked out, murmuring, "Plushies! Just like toddlers sometimes."

The rest of the day passed, though without further mention of monkey bars. The plushies heard Baby request her skates, and then when she came back with Jie Jie it was dinner time. After dinner was bath time, which the plushies listened in on with great interest.

"You'd think she's being tortured in there, the way she screams!" New York University Bear observed.

"Hoo hoo hooo, I suppose that's just how babies are," Pooh Bear replied.

Finally, Mommy uttered the magic words: "Bedtime!"

Hummy lay in bed, waiting for Baby's return. "Hiiii Baby! I've been waiting for you all day to come back so we can sleep together," he sat up, watching the nightly spectacle of bedtime.

"Time to put your PJs on!" Jie Jie announced.

"Heeheheehee..." Baby's eyes lit up once more as she bounced about the beds, half naked.

"Okaaaaay! If you're not going to cooperate, Jie Jie is going to bed!" Jie Jie warned.

Baby stopped, mid-bounce, and gave Jie Jie another cheeky look, before resuming her pre-bedtime workout, laughing and bouncing away on the bed.

"Oookaaaayy! Good night, Baby!" Jie Jie called.

Hummy, the sleepy bunny he was, fell asleep waiting for Baby to come back and snuggle. He only stayed up long enough to murmur a similar "Night night," before falling back down onto the pillow and snoozing away.





Notes:
The people and characters/plushies are all real.
Ju Ju Pei is a special type of blankie Baby has- translated into English, it roughly means "sucky blanket"
"Moh Gun" is a towel