Bimbo

The girls have quite an extensive collection of books.  Most were given to us as hand-me-downs or picked up via Free Cycle.  There is also a weekly trip to a local library.  Every night, the girls each pick out a book for me to read to them.

Monday night, Allie had a book I hadn't seen before.  It was in decent condition but it was obviously an older book.  I can't recall the exact title but it was something along the lines of True Dolphin Tales.  It was a book for bigger kids as it contained mostly writing and only a drawing or two per story.  I glanced at the list of stories inside and saw one about a bully.  Allie decided upon that one.

Anna was still climbing into her pajamas so I yelled out that we were going to start reading in an attempt to speed her up.  I opened the book and read, "Bimbo was a spotted pilot whale."  Say what?  Did I just read that right?  Yes, Bimbo the pilot whale.  So Anna came running in and asked to see the book.  I showed it to her and said, "Hurry up and finish dressing so we can read it."

Anna - "Okay, Bimbo."

Anna - "Your name's Bimbo."

Oh, how I laughed.  But I didn't tell her that we don't call people Bimbo because:

1. She would call everyone Bimbo.
2. She would ask why it was okay for the the spotted pilot whale to be named Bimbo.
3. I wasn't about to explain what bimbo means (to most.)

I checked and the copyright of that book is 1974.  I also researched on the internet and Bimbo really was a pilot whale from an aquarium in California during the 1960s.  He was eventually released back into the ocean due to his behavior.  I swear I saw a movie about this on Lifetime.

So Anna has been in a great mood this week, which has been refreshing and wonderful.  She was overly affectionate at the end of last week and I immediately noticed a change in her Monday morning.  And she has continued to be happy but has had some normal 5 year old meltdowns.  But nothing like what we had been experiencing.

I don't think I can fully describe how sweet it is to have her hug me and say, "I wuv you," in her little voice that can still sound babyish.

(Although, tonight she told me that I was smelly and needed a shower.)

I sometimes look at my kids and can't believe how big they are.  They are little kids.  Their faces have matured so much over this past year and it has been amazing to watch the transformation.  But there are times when I still see that little toddler.  The small hands and chubby cheeks.  The little voices....