Eddie, Ballets Russes and nursery rhymes

Ever since we received this kitsch gift for Easter (from in-laws' friends), Eddie enjoys dancing to its tune. I must say the tune is very catchy, and I am occasionally caught wiggling my bum to its rhythm. The cat dances, Eddie dances, the world dances. I call his dancing style "Ballets Russes".

Eddie loves nursery rhymes, we often sing them together. And Eddie's vocabularly has expanded with lots of characters and imagery from the nursery rhymes.
When we were in Italy for Easter, we walked to the town centre of Ferrara every day to have a latte and pastry in the lovely pasticceria. The building next to it boasts two statues: of the marquis Niccolo III on horseback and Duke Borso d'Este sitting enthroned. I pointed to the statue of the Duke and said: "Look, Eddie, there's the Duke"
Eddie replied: "Ah, Grandanduke!" (which is his word for Grand Old Duke of York, he pronounces it as one word). I think from now on this will always be a Grandanduke for me. Sorry, Borso.

On the way to the town centre we met a neighbour who lives across the road. I tell Eddie: "That's an old lady who lives..." Eddie finishes "in a shoe?"

Last week we visited Sasha's school, when we arrived, Sasha's class was out, so we had a quick peek in his classroom. We saw a huge screen there, so I commented: "That's one monster of a TV". For the next few days Eddie kept telling anyone who'd listen:
"We went to Sasha's school. We went to his room. There is a huuuge TV. There is a monster in the TV".

Every night before going to bed we read "Maisy's bedtime" together. Each time I read "Maisy brushes her teeth, puts on her pyjamas", my little man adds "like Eddie". Then there's a page where Maisy cannot go to sleep because she needs a loo. So there's a picture of Maisy sitting on the toilet. Eddie helpfully adds "Maisy's pissing. Like Mama".

The other day when I have just moisturised my face with a night cream, Eddie sniffed at me and said "Mama, you stink", to which I replied "What a thing to say to your Mama, that's not very nice". He thought hard and said: "Mama, you are beautiful. But you stink".

And here he is: sitting in a hamper. He's like a cat, cannot pass by any box, parcel or container, he just has to climb inside.

I would like to add my post to Shoulder to shoulder to day blog hop. If you haven't heard of it: this is
"one major blog hop from 22nd May to 23rd June to help out one of our fellow bloggers, Emma Day, who is over at Crazy with Twins. She will need lots of cheering up as she will be in isolation due to her radiotherapy."

Emma, we are all thinking of you and your children. Hope this post will make you smile.