Wait, who am I again??

Recently, McLean's imagination has crossed a new threshold.  Is that the right word? Hmm, not sure...and actually, that reminds me that I was browsing over my old posts the other day and cracking up at all of the mechanical errors...and the use of the word "awesome." Ha.  But, I will restrain myself from going back in the past and editing my work...because, after all, this is me writing as I think and posting unedited versions of life...literally. Now, where were we?
Ah, yes...So, it is not uncommon for McLean to begin the day with the phrase, "I have a good idea, Mommy."  Most days I am immersed in something else, so I just halfheartedly say, "Oh, yeah, what?"  I don't say it halfheartedly to squelch her "GREAT idea," mostly I just know what's coming and it has already happened about 36 times.
Her great idea is that I must pretend to be someone, and she will pretend to be someone. Sometimes Hazel and Buck are also involved, but definitely she and I. Here are a few of the options that have come across the table lately:

Buck-the dog
Mickey Mouse
Minnie Mouse
Pluto (usually played by Buck)
Goofy
Ivy- our sweet cousin who is also three
Baby Ivy- the baby version of cousin Ivy
Linny, Tuck, or Ming-Ming (the WonderPets from NickJR)
Duck, Bear, or Frog from Word World on PBS
Santa
Rudolf...as in the shiny nose one
David from the Bible
Goliath from the Bible

The Combinations are endless...lest you think she may stick with one genre...it is not uncommon to be Baby Ivy and Santa...or Rudolf and Goliath.

Now, it took me a few times to figure this out, but when you pretend to be someone (or something), you really don't have to DO anything.  You can just agree and go about your business while her imagination takes over and she creates her pretend world.  It was a very freeing moment when I realized this, actually.

Now, sometimes I lose track of who I am...I mean, what's a girl to do....I'm not really changing character, I'm just agreeing to who she tells me I am. But McLean never forgets.  She'll go a whole day in the same character...and thinking YOU are a same character that she told you to be.  She will demand you call her by that name for the entire day....or until she becomes someone else.

Just the other day my favorite "you can be so-and-so" moment came when McLean said, "Mommy, I have a good idea." (and I lovingly said, "what's that, babe?").  "You can be Mommy, and I can McLean."

"Now THAT is a fabulous idea" I said.


And it was...after a long day of playing other people, it's always good to be yourself. (I wish I thought of that great life lesson in the moment, but I didn't....another time, I suppose.)

After a long day of being someone else, it's bedtime...little cutie

Before signing off, here are a couple of random pics from tonight...we went on a walk to the park given this AHH-MAZING weather.  Our whole family has been sick this week...the plague I think...and so it was great to get out.  Here's a before and after...

Everyone's excited for a little ride...

and after...Hazel is out...as well as McLean...
("Mom, stop taking my picture...I want to get out.")
Sigh....