Scare #1:
I removed Baby Catch-A-Ball (BCAB) from the box to insert the batteries and discovered her battery cover was missing! (Did they sell me a doll umpteen years ago without a battery cover? I questioned.) I peeked into the box and found the cover at the bottom. Relieved, I inserted the batteries and tested her. She did nothing. (These batteries must be old, I thought). I looked at the diagram on the cover and read the insertion instructions. I had the batteries inserted incorrectly. As they say, reading is fundamental.
With the batteries inserted properly and battery cover on, I placed BCAB in the seated position in my lap facing me with her arms and hands in the "catch-a-ball" position. I tossed the ball toward her cupped hands (aiming to the area behind her bracelets as the instructions outlined).
Scare #2
She is quite noisy and the speed at which she popped (not threw) the ball back startled me!
An attempt to capture the doll in action by video met with frustration. I can only imagine how children must have felt in their attempts to make BCAB catch and throw the ball back properly. After multiple unsuccessful tries which caused the old D cells to lose power and my exasperation to mount, I finally captured a decent video (take 10). Click this link: Baby Catch-A-Ball Take 6, then arrow through to view takes 7, 9 and 10. I did not even bother to share take 8.
***
The reason behind BCAB's sly facial expression has become very apparent. She has a sly grin with tongue sticking out on the side because she knows how frustrating each ball thrower will become in their attempts to see her catch and throw the ball back to them. Baby-Is-A-Little-Cute-Devil is a more appropriate name for her.
BCAB made me feel like a parent who wanted to show an audience something their child did exceptionally well. The child then either fails to do so or does it with less enthusiasm. As a result, I have given BCAB some additional names:
Baby-Won't-Act-Right
Baby-Is-Stubborn
Baby-Is-Getting-On-My-Last-Nerve
Baby-What-Is-Your-Problem?
Baby-Do-You-Want-Me-To-Sell-You?
Will I buy fresh D cell batteries to see if they will help her do what she is supposed to do correctly? No, because BCAB has been banished to her box in the corner, indefinitely. The little stinker!
dbg