Bee-Bee

You've met Bee-Bee before. He has been showing up in pictures for over a year now. Gloworm was a babyshower gift. Gender neutral for whomever came along. He glowed and played music as he has done for nearly 30 years.She wakes up in the middle of the night, pushes his button, and drift off to sleep in his soft light and music.He travels with us almost everywhere.When Lily started learning to walk, Bee-Bee rode around on the toddler chair.Then Lily received a stroller and we thought Bee-Bee might be replaced by Dolly. Nope, Bee-Bee simply joined Dolly in what became a stroller built for two. Bee-bee was around for play, quite-time, and naps. Batteries have been replaced more times than I can count.When boxes became her "thing," Bee-Bee was along for the ride. I was going to say Bee-Bee often stays in the car, but it appears photographic evidence has proved me wrong. Here, he showed up at the train museum in Sacramento. Bee-Bee is always there when we are sick. Which, unfortunately, has been a lot since Thanksgiving.

Bee-Bee even joined us for a gymnastics class.

And once or twice has been found in a closed drawer after someone was done playing.

There are two places Bee-Bee is not allowed to go; the high chair, or in the back yard. In the past, when it is time to go outside to play, I have hidden Bee-Bee behind the couch cushions. But in an effort to teach Lily about indoor toys and outside toys, I have been (trying) to teach Lily to put Bee-Bee on a chair before she goes out to play.

Yesterday she asked to go outside and I asked her to put Bee-Bee on the couch. She walked over, placed him on the couch, and came back to the sliding glass door ready to play. I must admit I did a happy dance on the inside (and maybe a little on the outside.) I praised my child for the progress she had made, repeating over and over that Bee-Bee stayed inside so that we could play outside, and what a wonderfully grown up girl she was. She beamed, we had a grand time and she never asked for him.

Today when I asked her if she wanted to go play outside she ran over and grabbed Bee-Bee and headed for the door. Luckily, I have learned my lesson not to even open the sliding door until Bee-Bee is safely on the sofa or chair. After battling for almost 15 minutes, I gave up and told her she could simply play inside. Ten more minutes pass and she asks to go outside. I see Bee-Bee was on the toy shelf and so we headed outside. We played for a few minutes and I ran inside to rotate laundry. She stopped playing and I saw her watch me carefully. I could see the wheels turning in her head long before she took action. She came back inside, scanned the shelves with her eyes, grabbed Bee-Bee and turned to make a break for it. Knowing what she was going to do, I had already closed the sliding door and we begun our melt-down of the "Bee-Bee stays inside" routine.

This is how I know she understands exactly what I am saying and what I mean. Who knew a 16 month old could be so crafty. (The answer to this is every other mother out there, I just hadn't gotten to this point yet.) I am impressed at how bright and quick little ones are, and even more amazed at the defiance. How their words are few but they understand so much. And I think they understand even more than they let on.

I know this battle is not over. What she doesn't know, is that I will always win. At least on the Bee-Bee issue.