I always feel underdressed when I play with my neighbors. 
I mean, I’m wearing old shorts, dorky socks, and my granddaughter’s old hand-me-up Converses, and they’re dressed as a princess and a fairy (sans wings). I really need to do a wardrobe check before I venture over there.
Yesterday morning, during my once-a-week visit, I also realized I was woefully in the dark about other important aspects of life, such as interspecies marriage. Did you know that Micky Mouse and a stuffed whale make excellent mates for princesses? Hey, if no man is around to break the dreaded sleeping spell, leave it to Micky and Softy the Whale to step (swim?) right in.
Such a cute couple
Softy the Whale seems a tad aggressive in the bedroom
I’ve been out of the pretend game too long, I guess. I’m not grasping the concept. Judge for yourself from this conversation between five-year-old C. and me while we were playing with her Barbie princesses in her new doll house.
I carried my Cinderella doll into the living room and opened her arms wide. “Welcome, Ariel,” I said in my best Cinderella voice. “I’m so glad you came for a visit. I want to show you my new house.”
“Who are you going to marry?” Ariel asked. Now, I don’t know about you, but if I’d just been invited into someone’s home for the first time, that wouldn’t be the first thing that would pop out of my mouth.
“Marry?” Cindy asked. “Why, I don’t have any plans to marry anybody. Now step this way and let me show you my beautiful piano with the gorgeous plastic chandelier.”
“But you have to marry someone,” Ariel said.
“No, I don’t. I just finished college, landed the perfect job, have a great little convertible and a giant screen 3-D TV. I’m perfectly happy living here all by myself,” Cindy said.
“But that’s mean,” Ariel said peevishly. “You have to share your house with someone else. You have to get married.”
“How ’bout I share it with you? That’d work, wouldn’t it? You could come and visit whenever you want. Move in, why don’t you?” Cindy offered generously.
“No, you have to have a husband,” Ariel said. “That’s the rule!” I thought she sounded a bit petulant.
“There are rules for that? Who makes up those rules?”
“They’re just there, that’s all!” Ariel stated with a finality that meant the conversation was over. “Now, who are you going to marry?”
I looked around the room. Where’s a Ken doll when you need him? “Um…I’m at a loss here. You pick.”
“Micky would be nice.”
“Sounds good to me.”
Coming East 
That was really a funny conversation 🙂
Aren’t kids great? They keep you laughing!
I had to laugh out loud at the picture of Shamu and his princess in the bedroom. This was hilarious! You are still a good playmate.
These girls give me so much fodder for blog material. Thanks, Daughter.
lol! I really enjoyed this. It was almost like a conversation I’ve had with my 5-year-old granddaughter. 🙂
I love spending time with my two little neighbors. The world seems like such a happy place after being with them!
Oh and I have never seen FROG – we don’t seem to have them here. Well, of course we have frogs but not FROGs.
Judith 🙂
I’m sure it is an American thing. And it only exists in newer houses (probably ’80’s and beyond).
My 3 year old neighbor asked me why my daddy doesn’t live with me? I looked around for her mother to answer the question as one never knows what parents are telling their kids and I wouldn’t want to confuse the child. The nex time I saw her she said – that’s alright if your daddy doesn’t live with you. You have Lotte.
Wonderful little children.
I think it’s a security thing with kids, too. They feel secure because their daddy is in the house. They just see that as the way it’s supposed to be.
I love kid-logic it’s so fun! 🙂
Those two are a hoot and give me lots to write about every time I see them.
FROG! I’d never heard that acronym before – it is great!
Is there something genetic going on that little girls think about marriage from a young age, or is it cultural?
That is a hard question, because I know the girls’ mother, and she isn’t one to have drilled into them that marriage is a forgone conclusion, but they get it from somewhere. My theory is that they love their daddies, so they project into the future that having someone like him in their lives is what you have to have to be happy. The part about sharing your house or you are a mean person kind of threw me, though. The FROG thing is something you’ll see in classified ads for houses for sale.
It is only later that Ariel will learn that rules are meant to be broken. 🙂 This is a good orientation for me as I am heading off to help a friend care for his two granddaughters (5 and 6). I will have to start getting into character now. Fun post!
Why do little girls always think you need a man to make your life complete? I guess it’s because they’re in love with their daddies! Thanks for visiting.
The whale picture had me laughing! My daughter does the same (she really enjoyed your pictures!) She is always talking about marriage, her future husband, her future kids. Last week she said to me, “Mommy, when I am a mom and am married and you are a grandma, where will you and daddy sleep?” Oh the mind of a four year old! (I told her, probably above the garage in an in-law apartment…)
LOL! My daughter and her family have a beautiful house in Michigan with a FROG (family room over the garage). It’s where my husband and I sleep when we come. I’ve repeatedly asked when they are going to have a bathroom installed up there for when we move in. My daughter just smiles. Sort of. Glad you daughter enjoyed the pictures, too.