The other night at bedtime, Reid asked for her Care Bears. As I handed them to her, I said, “Here’s Thomas and CareB.” Reid told me that she had decided to call CareB something else. She actually told me the name but I’m afraid I’ve blocked it. I find it quite off-putting that she wants to change CareB’s name. I know it’s not rational but there it is. I’m okay with Thomas sometimes being a girl and at other times being a boy, though he is mostly a boy lately. Gender confusion is easier for me to accept, I guess. I’m even okay with Hair Baby and Bald Baby each sometimes being called “Daisy”. But CareB has a [1] special place in my heart.

All this to say that I told Reid that she couldn’t just change CareB’s name willy-nilly like that. And - this is the part I should have kept to myself - I said, “How would you like it if I called you ‘Molly’?” We had considered “Molly” when I was pregnant but ultimately didn’t choose it (obviously ;+). Reid told me that it wasn’t her name and so I restated my position about CareB’s name. Yes, I was arguing with a 3 year old. Then, it got worse. Reid said that she was calling her <insert name here> and I said, “Good night, Molly.” At which point Reid started crying. Remember it was bedtime and that’s a tough enough time when you’re 3 without your mother tormenting you. I tried soothing her, having remembered that I’m the mama, but Reid asked for Ken and so I got him. He gave her some hugs and kisses and she settled down. She didn’t rat me out but when I spoke with Ken after Reid was asleep, I came clean. Ken is more interested in Reid getting a good night’s sleep and having a good morning than in defending CareB’s right to her name. He almost always remembers to be the grown-up.

I havn’t called Reid “Molly” since that night. She hasn’t called CareB by any other name either, mind you, but I’ll resist the urge if she does.