“Watch this” is the most frequently heard phrase from our toddler.
“I didn’t do it” is becoming a close second. Often when I walk into a room, the first thing I hear is “Mama, I didn’t do it.” Of course, my first reaction is “Well, who did it?” And it is always either Jude (our dog) or one of her imaginary friends.
Norah has several imaginary friends: Toe-Stomper, Sally, Desa, Veda, Aida, and Erma. Oh, and a little girl named Norah–she lives in mirrors.
Norah describes Toe-Stomper as a little boy who wears goggles. This week Toe-Stomper broke a lamp, spilled a glass of water, and ripped mommy’s contact lens in half. It was my last contact lens.
I asked my sister (a counselor who works with children) how to handle this and she said to address the clean-up/consequences to Norah since these are her friends. She suggested that I not challenge the reality of these friends. The culprit usually leaves by the time the deed is discovered. And Norah is left to face the music. I’ve told her that she is in charge of her friends when they are in this house. If they are about to do something that is not permitted (ahem, like open mommy’s contact lens case), then she must tell them “no.”
I had an imaginary friend named Sheshach. He disappeared not long after my sister was born. I guess it is pretty normal for a first-born? And harmless?
Still. I was pretty bummed about my contact lens.
Inexplicable Ways 
Do you have a regular eye dr you see? Mine has always been really good at giving me one of their free trial pairs the manufacturer provides them with when I’ve had a contact tear.
Note to self to keep my contacts in a safe place! I am trying to make my last three pairs last the next six months, because I should have been to the eye doctor in November, and my eyes are different when I’m pregnant. But if Suzi does that to me I’ll have had it coming. When I was four I opened my brother’s contact case, dumped out what I thought was just water, and made “bird soup” for our pet birds. They weren’t disposable contacts, either. And my mom was actually very understanding about the whole thing 🙂
Scott had some left in his stash so I’m wearing one of his until I can place a new order. Thankfully, our eyesight is practically the same. That is, blind.
Hayden has a friend named The Bumper. He lives “on roads”. The Bumper likes to pull my laundry off the line and let the dogs out to terrorize our neighbors. He also likes to cook on “Daddy’s hot grill”. The Bumper loves any dangerous or distructive activity you can imagine. The Bumper kind of reminds me of a little boy named Hayes…