How do I Pick up Enemies Platformer

Similar to the mario game where you can pick up veggies and enemies, I am confused to the order I can set this situation up. I am confused if I should make the instances change my sprites or just have everything under 1 sprite under its animation. This is all in a platformer set up similarly to Super Mario Bros 2.

My goals:

-Pick up multiple enemies Max of 3 (assuming with an instance variable check)

-Still able to Attack while holding Enemies

-Have enemies struggle out after a time limit

How do I: use the instance variables to set a different sprite for a time limit yet have it preform player actions?

I would have the picked up enemies be separate sprites with their own animations. Then you don't have to worry about player control when they are in a picked up state (except maybe have his arms up in hold position). You could then when one is picked up have characters arms locked in up position and pin the mob to an image point above characters head. The mobs themselves can contain a pickedUp variable with timer that unpins them after their timer expires. If player throws one you can destroy one and spawn one being thrown at another image point.

Actually, I somehow solved it by making the instance type a number and destroying the enemy and then re-spawning them as a bullet when I throw them. So basically only the Player is animated and the rest of the enemies just have walking animations. Thanks for the quick reply though!

That works too.