Rex the duck and other "aminals".

My 5 year old daughter has a duck. He is yellow and on wheels, a very typical non-descript child's pull toy. I got him for her before she was born.

She named him Rex. I expected her to ditch Rex long ago. He's not pink, he's not flashy and he does nothing -- except follow her when she pulls him. In her world, however, loyalty is rewarded. He isn't her favorite, but he is her longest lasting interest. He is also the first one she named and the longest to have the same name.

The other day when she went looking for her slippers she found her red cowgirl boots. So she put those on. She also found her pink Easter hat, so she put that on. And to complete the outfit, she pulled out Rex.

She began walking around the house in this get up and found the most willing playmate around -- Daddy.

"Hi, I'm Mary, it's very nice to meet you." she says to her Daddy. (her name isn't Mary, btw)

"Hi Mary, I'm the Daddy. And who do you have with you?"

"Hi, the Daddy, this is Rex. He's my guard duck." --Imagination is strong in this one.

Rex has had surgery over the years. His wheels have come off. He's also had a bath, and in spite of that he has a blue mark across his back from a run in with a dry erase marker. He has stood his ground with a 100-lb German Shepherd Dog and a 15-lb Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Maybe he is a guard duck after all.

On to the other aminals promised in this post. I say aminals because that's what The Princess calls them. It makes me smile to think of the words the children have used incorrectly. Jaybone always had "mennies" not money. And The Boo Man did not have dump trucks, but I can't write what he did have.

Jaybone had a Ty Ostrich named Stretch. Actually that's not entirely correct. Jaybone had multiple Ty Beanie baby Ostriches named Stretch and one large Stretch. Stretch was one of his favorites, because as you can see the neck makes a perfect handle for tossing it up in the air. Which brings us to why he had so many. He tossed them up in the air. They landed on roofs. The roofs of South Eastern PA are littered with Ty Ostriches.

I fully expected Stretch to be one of Jay's take to college Stuffed Aminals. Which is why I was surprised to find Stretch in a box in the garage. I passed Stretch on to The Princess. Stretch has survived so much, a cardboard box in the garage is not a fitting end to Stretch.

Last night during bedtime story time, she was holding Stretch, by the neck. I half expect to be told Stretch is on the roof. I also half expect Jay to retreive him for her.

When confronted about Stretch in the box, J explained that he kept his Meowth. Stretch is about 8 inches high, and 4-5 inches wide, when sitting. Meowth is 17 inches high and 12 inches wide and most of that is his head. I fully understand why he chose to keep Meowth -- okay not so much.

Meowth, for the uninitiated, is the cat that was the "pet" of the bad guys (Team Rocket) on the Pokemon Cartoon. J's version of Meowth no longer has fangs. I think he also has a mark from a run-in with a Dry Erase Marker. Meowth makes the cut every time we redecorate Jay's room. Meowth will be hated by his wife someday. And for the record --I don't blame her.