Handy Amusement

One of the best and cheapest travel amusements we have are our hands.  Ours talk and apparently have developed complex personalities.  My daughter loves this.  Even at 7 1/2 she adores conversations with talking digits. 

My parents were visiting this week and it became apparent where all this hand talk silliness came from.  Papa has two talking hands that resemble alligators named “Alli” and “Gate”.  They are always teaching the unsuspecting child something science-y and have a habit of finishing each other’s sentences.  Much giggles and accidental learning occurs.  I remember myself at Laura’s age drinking it all in and talking away with these hand-things.

Mine have been named Critter 1 & 2.  They get into mischief, tell bad jokes and often get mixed up.  (I’ll do anything for a cheap laugh.)  Laura is quite patient with them and tries to teach them things.  She squeezes them and washes them in the bath too.

My husbands hands are gators and they are always wanting to snack on things.  Laura is trying to get them to eat food not everything in the room.  Sports are challenging for these gators as they are always eating the balls. 

The most interesting pair for me are my son’s hands.  He doesn’t pull them out often but they have unique personalities.  One is deaf.  He doesn’t talk but will sometime sign something.  The other hand is shy and doesn’t say much but does translate for the deaf one.  I have no idea where these personalities come from.  Owen is neither versed in sign language nor shy like his characters but this is what he has chosen.

Laura’s hand characters are an adorable reflection of her.  Small and sweet, they love to cuddle, chatter about nothing in particular and sing off-key.  I love every minute of it, at least until my hands cramp up.