Kissy Faces

I don't know if it is a little girl thing - I figure it has to be because my twin girls are really into kissing right now. No, they aren't kissing each other a great deal and twindada and I are not especially smothered in affectionate pecks though we do get our fair share from our little duo. Rather it is the budding romances of all their toys that has me raising an eyebrow.

Last week, I noticed there was something going on between the Fisher Price Little People garbage man and the My First Baby Baby Doll. Jelly Bean had them in a lip lock that lasted, uncomfortably, at least 15 seconds. I watched as these two inanimate objects had their faces smashed together while Jelly Bean gave them their sound, "Moooahh." I asked her if they were in a relationship (they could at least be exclusive, for crying out loud!), but I didn't get a response that I could translate. I figure it was best left alone.

Later on, I noticed the two lovebirds rendezvousing upstairs in the girls' bedroom while they continued their courtship according to the world of Jelly Bean. Hmmm...we may have to have the talk with garbage man and baby doll, this apparently is getting serious. It would be rather weird, too, she is like at least 6 inches taller than him and is mostly made out of cloth. He is a piece of plastic that is no more than 2 inches tall. I guess he likes tall, soft women.

I thought perhaps this was Jelly Bean's fascination, but what one does, the other does too. Today our little friend who comes to visit came with his special Pig in hand. At one point when he dropped it, Peanut scooped it up and it began a passionate smooch with her baby doll. NOT, the same baby doll as garbage man's woman. No love triangles here.

Now it begs the question: WHERE ON EARTH IS THIS COMING FROM? They are not allowed to watch grown up TV and twindada and I do kiss each other, but it is like a peck here or there, not this long lasting lovin' that these scandalous toys are partaking in!

Well, the apples don't fall too far from the tree. I recall (and have been reminded) of me sitting on my dad's lap when I was probably 3 or 4 trying to teach him how to kiss. He would hold me and peck me on the lips. I would get frustrated and tell him that he wasn't doing it right. Why? Because I picked up on the fact that the people on TV (soap operas) kissed for a very long time. Clearly, my dad did not get the message. I would say, "Dad! You need to kiss longer!" He would laugh at me getting the biggest kick out of the fact that I felt it was necessary to teach my father how to kiss. So, I guess Peanut and Jelly Bean do get it quite honestly.

But I don't let them watch soap operas. In fact, I don't even like them. Sure, I knew more about what was going on with Roman and Marlena when I was little rather than who was on Sesame Street (a sad fact, but true.) However I have broken that trend and the girls watch Noggin and I have never seen make out sessions on Dora or Blue's Clues.

So, my logical deduction is that they are just affectionate. Period. They obviously have no clue that "long" kissing is more intimate than short kissing. (Or we would probably have less PDA from the action figures...) They have just found how to express love and now want to watch others express love, too. I think this is how God probably feels when He sees His children expressing love toward each other. He wants to see us happy, He wants to see us love and be loved and He wants us to reach out to others with this compassion.

Maybe we all won't go around kissing each other. That would be really weird. But maybe expressing compassion for each other is the best way to show our children how to be loving, charitable and giving people in this world. Maybe a symbolic "kiss" is the olive branch that we can bestow upon one another that will lift each other up.

Perhaps twindada and I should do more kissing in front of the girls. You know the short, appropriate ones. I have heard that children feel secure when their parents' relationship is solid and one way to show this is by affection toward each other. Just maybe if our children always know they can count on us to keep it together, then they stand a chance of growing up into healthy relationships of their own.

So, what will happen next? Who will hook up with who?

Who knows, but I hope garbage man and baby doll make it for the girls' sake.