Just another day in the depths of imagination (written Jan 6, 2011)

Just another day in the depths of imagination

by Rose Harris on Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 12:00pm

Leo is contemplating what vintage caravan to buy and Delilah will only answer to "penguin". Just another day in the world of Leo and Delilah.

It is hard to tell what Delilah will be next. On the surface, one might assume she is doing that ignoring skill that females do so well or is simply not listening. I'll give you an example.

Me: "Delilah, could you please get dressed?"

Delilah continues doing what she is doing or begins to roll over the floor.

Me: "Delilah, could you please get dressed, I am waiting." (times at least four or five)

Delilah: "I not Lilah, I'm a penguin."

Me: "Penguin, could you please get dressed?"

Delilah gets dressed immediately.

Delilah: "Say hank-you penguin."

Sometimes it strikes at 3am.

Delilah: "Daddy! Daddy!"

Daddy: "Yes Delilah, it's night time, what's the matter? Hop back into bed please"

Delilah: "I not Lilah, I'm a balloon. The balloon needs cuddles."

Daddy: "Ok balloon, have a cuddle and now go back to sleep."

Delilah: "Ok. Say hank you balloon."

Other times it is a dog, often a baby and sometimes Miss Polly. She has also been known to only answer to Grandma or elephant.

She surely has a future as an actress. Surely.

Leo on the other hand has a very logical imagination. He spends his time imagining what his life will be like when he grows up, becomes a vet in Donald and drives a blue car with a TV that tells you where to go (I assume he means GPS).

Leo: "Mummy, when I'm a vet and your cat gets run over, you can bring it to me."

Me: "I would have hoped that if I did have a cat it didn't get run over."

Leo: "Well you can come to my vet house and I will cook you tea."

The other thing Leo is currently obsessed with is getting a caravan. Not sure where this sprouted from.

Leo: "So mummy, we need a caravan. It's ok, I'll sleep on the top bed and there will be room for Stig. Then we won't have to worry about the tent breaking in half."

Me: "That is a very good idea Leo, but caravans cost a lot of money, maybe we can look around and try and save up."

Leo: "So can we go get that money for the caravan today?"

Here's another one:

Leo: "Mummy, I had very good dreams last night."

Me: "Did you Leo, what were they about?"

Leo: "Well everything was upside down. You and Daddy and Lilah were upside down and I was walking around and the house was upside down too. And do you know what you said to me Mummy?"

Me: "What's that Leo?"

Leo: "You said, why are you walking around upside down Leo?"

Often, they combine forces. Usually one of them is the superhero and the other in need of saving from various quagmires of mud and crocodiles.

I just love listening to them, some of the best quotes I have ever heard have come from these two. Would rival Ghandi I'm sure.

My favourite? There are two, both from Leo. The first has to be, "Mummy, why doesn't Grandma get old?". And the second, when we were talking about birthdays and how they work, Leo brings up a dear old friend of his who passed away and says "She just used up all her birthdays didn't she Mummy?"