The curious existence of Bobby Booby...

A few months ago, Zoe borrowed a doll from her Nana (Charles's mother). On the ride home that day, I asked her, "What's his name?"

Her answer? "Bobby."

Um...ok. She knows no one named Robert, Bob or Bobby. She's never seen an episode of The Brady Bunch. Where'd she come up with that name? I wondered...

A week or two later, we bought her a new baby of her very own. On the way home, I asked her, "What's the new baby's name?"

Her answer? "She doesn't have a name."

Oh. "Zoe, when will you give her a name?"

"When October comes."

It was November 2nd. October was a long way away.

Zoe has stuck to her guns regarding the names of both baby dolls, and still asks about Bobby, who has long since gone back to Nana's house. The new baby still doesn't have a name.

Also, we've been watching Annie a lot over the past few days - it's her new favorite show. She gets very concerned when a bearded man throws a bomb into Mr. Warbucks' house, and wants to know who that man is. In the movie, they call him The Bolshevik. Zoe spent a bit of time yesterday trying to say this new word..."Vol-vick? Bod-a-nick? Vold-e-nuke?" She never quite got it, but she says a different word each time, giggling at herself and her own creativity.

So I'd say life with a very articulate toddler is entertaining, to say the least. Zoe has her own way of looking at the world, and her own way of talking about it, and it changes, daily.

I see this most when Zoe gets to playing her new favorite game, which she created herself. The name of this game? Well, it changes, of course. Some days, it's "Bobby Booby." Others, it's "Blobby Blooby." Where does this come from? I have no idea...but it's her favorite.

"Mommy," she says, typically while I'm making dinner or folding laundry. "Will you come play Bobby Booby with me?"

"Sure, I'll come play Bobby Booby."

"No, Mommy. It's Blobby Blooby."

"Oh."

To play this game, we sometimes dance, holding hands. We sometimes chase each other around. There are always rules, they always change, and I never seem to follow them.

"No, Mommy, you have to lean this way!" or "No, Mommy, you're not listening! Go to timeout!"

I can't tell you the number of times I've been sent to timeout for breaking the B(l)obby B(l)ooby rules...

One day, while Zoe was sick last week, she was sitting on the ground, exhausted and run-down. "Mommy, can we play Blobby Blooby sitting down?"

This time, the rules involved wiggling on one's booty while holding hands and making weird faces...

So, the name changes, the rules change, and I am frequently in trouble. Sort of sounds like a two-year-old's perception of the world, huh? Hmm...I'll have to ponder that possible conclusion...