Welcome, Hippolina!

Today Hippolina is coming to stay with Mother, Father, my brother Paul and I. In case you didn't know, my name is Portia Peachblossom. 

Dad has told us to not be nervous, that Hippolina is probably more nervous about her stay than we are and if we're nervous, she'll get nervous and then we'll all feel especially nervous and... you get the picture. 

That is why we are gathered in the living room acting normal.

Father has prepared everything for our tea.  

Paul is telling his penguin a penguin story, Mother is cross-stitching and I am multitasking. I am stroking our cat Aster with one hand and putting a beautiful pink necklace around my sheep's head with the other while telling it to behave. My sheep can get very naughty around visitors.

Suddenly the doorbell rings.

We all jump up and gather around facing the front door. 

"I'm so excited, I've never had a sister before!" Paul cries out. 

"You numpty!" I hiss at him, "What about ME??" 

"Aw Portia, you know what I mean - of course I have a sister, but we've never had a test sister before, have we?

Paul is right about that. I am so excited to have another girl in the house from now on. I can't wait to give Hippolina a welcome hug.

But trust the parents to be all patient and grown-uppy and to really take their time welcoming each other first. *sigh*  
In come Teresa Babblebrook and little Toby and the mothers exchange hugs and kisses.

Troy Babblebrook and Hippolina enter the living room behind them. Hippolina is wearing a pretty blue dress with pink and white flowers on it.

"Hello Hippolina!" I say, "How was your trip to Africa? You've got a lovely tan!"

Hippolina smiles at me and says, "It was awesome and thank you. You are the first to notice." 
And then she blushes a little, so I am feeling really good about myself and like I have broken the ice with her already,

when all of a sudden she turns around and leans into Troy Babblebrook. 

And when I think things can't possibly get any worse, she starts crying the most enormous tears I have ever seen another person cry.

"There, there," says Teresa and the Babblebrooks lean in for a group hug with Hippolina in the middle.  What is going on??

"Don't worry, children, it's just hard for her to say goodbye," Mother whispers to Paul and me, as if she were reading my mind.

The Babblebrooks leave because they don't want to postpone the inevitable and Hippolina gets a huge mother bear hug from my mother Orangine. Paul has suddenly pushed himself in front of me, so I contemplate pinching his dumb little tail in revenge, but then I think of my sheep doll and I stop myself. I have to set a good example.

Paul hugs Hippolina

  

and then it is finally my turn to give her my first test-sister-embrace.

After all the hellos and goodbyes and the crying and welcoming, Mother takes Hippolina by the hand and leads her to our comfy sofa. Aster joins her immediately and looks at her curiously.

"Oh Aster," I say jokingly, "have you never seen a hippo before?" (She probably hasn't...)

Dad is preparing our drinks.

Paul and I fetch something to eat 

and Mother chooses something for Hippolina. The Babblebrooks have told her she likes brioche with strawberry jam.

"I do hope you enjoy our homemade iced tea," says Patrick, our father. 

"Oh yes, thank you, I like it very much," replies Hippolina in a very well-mannered way. "In fact," she adds, "iced tea is my favourite drink."

And then we all tuck in. 

Hippolina seems to be relieved at the kind of food we eat. I wonder what she has been fed at some of the other families' houses?

I realise we should have test siblings over more often, since Mother and Father have made a special effort with our meal and we don't usually have muffins and brioche and puff pastries for tea...

Paul feeds his penguin another toy salmon.

And another one. 

(Well, actually, it's the same one.)

Hippolina seems to have a healthy appetite.

Mother has already finished and is having her belly massaged by Aster.

There is no food left on the dining room table - oh yes, a white chocolate muffin. Do you want it?

Hippolina and I draw some pictures and Paul listens to our conversation while cuddling the cat.

"I like your flower," Hippolina tells me. 

"Your bear looks good too," I reciprocate, after looking at her sketch. 

"Thanks," says Hippolina, "it is a picture of you."

After a while Hippolina stands up on top of a sofa cushion and looks at the family photos on our wall.

"I wonder whether I'll ever take pictures like that with a family of my own," she sighs.

"Of course you will, Hippolina! You just wait and see. You'll have at least one photo with every family you've ever tested, I'm sure, and then countless pictures with the family where you decide to stay! That's more family photos than we could even fit onto this wall!" I explain enthusiastically and Hippolina gives me a wide and happy smile.

THANK YOU FOR READING THIS STORY!

GREETINGS FROM HIPPOLINA AND THE PEACHBLOSSOMS AND

HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEK.

🍮 🍩 🍹 🍪 🍹 🍩 🍮

Mother's Goodnight Ritual

Ralfie Hazelnut is spending a night at the Peachblossoms'. He and the cubs have spent the afternoon playing games and now it is time to get ready for bed.

As you can see, Portia's sheep are fast asleep.

Orangine Peachblossom has already placed Ralfie's cozy sleeping bag onto the floor between Paul and Portia's beds. 

The only one who doesn't seem ready for bed is Ralfie.

"Stop wiggling and hitting me with your legs, Ralfie!" orders Paul. 

"Doing parent stuff is harder than I thought..." he says to himself. Ralfie is so energetic! Paul didn't imagine it would be that hard to take the clothes off a baby squirrel.

In the meantime, Portia has taken off her dress and placed it on the chair in the corner.

She lets Ralfie hop into her bed while Paul takes off his dungarees.

"Do your mommy and daddy read you stories and show you picture books and give you hugs and kisses and warm glasses of milk and tuck you in at night at all??" Ralfie asks Portia with very little hope. He is suddenly missing his parents very much...

"Why of course they do. I mean, not exactly all of those things. But Daddy sometimes reads us stories and Mummy has a special goodnight ritual for us," Portia replies.

"Huh? Goodnight what?" asks Ralfie.

Instead of an answer, Portia walks to the dresser and takes a large cardboard box off the top shelf.

Paul lays his clothes on top of Portia's dress as tidily as possible. Then he pauses. His red scarf looks like a curled up cobra about to pounce...

"Here, look," explains Portia to Ralfie. "Before we go to sleep, Mummy tucks us in and gives us our magical key to Dreamland. The key with the pink gem is mine."

"Ooooh!" says Ralfie intrigued. "And what happens then?" 

"Then," Portia continues, we lie in our beds and imagine the door to Dreamland. It is right in front of you, you know. You just have to close your eyes. Once you see it, all you need to do is use the key to open it and then you can walk around Dreamland the entire night and do whatever you want."

"Wow!" whispers Ralfie in amazement. "Whatever I want..."

Paul has managed to free himself from the red cobra's deadly stare and give his stuffed animal a goodnight kiss. Now Portia tucks him in.

"Thanks Portia," says Paul. Then he adds, "Porsh? Where are you going to sleep tonight?

"What do you mean?" His sister replies.

Then she realizes what Paul is talking about. Ralfie has fallen asleep in Portia's bed with his fuzzy little paw around her key.

She didn't even have time to explain to him that after ten minutes Mummy comes back in, puts the magic keys back into the box and gives them a goodnight kiss...

"He looks like he's unconscious, Porsh! It must be from all that wiggling and jiggling around when I undressed him. That would wear anybody out!" says Paul.

Suddenly Mrs Peachblossom enters the room.

"Hello, my dears!" she says with a smile. "I see you have all gotten ready for bed!" she praises them.

"Mother, I'll have to sleep on the FLOOR tonight!" wails Portia. "Ralfie fell asleep in my bed!"

Orangine lifts up the pink blanket and takes the gold key out of Ralfie's hand. Then she and her daughter stand and stare for a moment at the chubby little squirrel lying on his tummy and breathing so peacefully.

"Aren't babies lovely?" says Orangines quietly. "You and your brother's legs were just as short when you were little!"

"Yeah, Mum, he's adorable, but WHERE am I going to sleep tonight??" urges Portia.

"Don't fuss, darling," says Mrs Peachblossom while gently picking Ralfie up into her arms and sliding him into his sleeping bag. 

"You don't need any magic to handle a baby squirrel once it's asleep."

"See?" she says while carefully laying the Ralfie-cocoon onto the floorboards. "Easy peasy."

Portia cuddles up in bed and watches her mother give Ralfie a tender goodnight kiss. She is happy to have such a gentle and calm mother. Hopefully she can become like her some day.

"Goodnight my dears! I love you!" says Orangine before turning off the lights.

❤ Dear friends, have a wonderful week! ❤

(And if you ever find a baby squirrel sleeping in your bed,

please retrieve it as gently as Orangine Peachblossom.)

🌜   🐹 🍼  🌛

Portia and Orangine's dresses were made by Jill; 
Penguin bedding set and carpet made by Kathy.