Tying the knot early

Marisa O’Neil

Alexis Osso and Cristopher Valencia get married every day.

In their class at Harper Preschool, 3-year-old Alexis puts on a

black spaghetti-strap gown with a gold, lame flounce at the bottom

and carries a bouquet of pink, silk roses. Her 3-year-old groom dons

a suede, fringed vest and a dashing black cowboy hat.

The two walk hand-in-hand and play together in Becki Potter and

Susan Bonanni’s class at the Newport-Mesa district-run school. The

class blends general education children from the state preschool with

special education students.

A play kitchen, two fabric tepees, a computer and a whole toy town

fill the room. Last week, they even had a “nurse” on duty.

“Who wants to get a shot?” parent volunteer Donna George asked two

girls as she picked up a play syringe from a toy medical kit.

Autumn Long, 4, offered her arm. George put the syringe up to it,

then Autumn dabbed it with a cotton ball and put a toy bandage on.

While George checked Autumn’s blood pressure, Alexis and

Cristopher came over for a look. Cristopher picked up a toy

stethoscope, took off his hat, put the scope around his neck and put

the hat back on.

Alexis found a second stethoscope and put it on, too.

Across the room, 3-year-old Jack Somers sat inside a

Dalmatian-spotted tepee. He peeked out, flashing a giant smile and

baby-blue eyes.

Autumn and 4-year-old Joshua Cendejas crawled in to join him, but

Jack scurried out, shyly. Once outside, Jack played a game of

peek-a-boo with the children inside.

Meanwhile, Alexis and Cristopher looked like the portrait of

domestic bliss in the kitchen. As she set a small dining table with

three plates -- one for each of them and one for a baby doll in a

high chair -- Cristopher assembled a sandwich with plastic bread

slices, lettuce and cheese.

Alexis grabbed a basket and started to clear the table. She

watched closely as Cristopher looked away for a split second and she

collected his plate, uneaten sandwich and all, and placed it in her

basket with the other “dirty” dishes.

He turned back to the table, only to find his sandwich gone.

“Hey! My food!” he protested.