Megan's Christmas kitty
Bubby loves Alice, Aunt B's kitty -- March 15, 2010
Megan got a kitten for Christmas. She didn't ask for it, and she doesn't really care to have it around. It was cute at first, but the little guy very quickly became annoying.
It's not that Megan's a cat-hater, it's that the cat isn't really a cat. It's Bubby ... who decided just before Christmas that he's no longer a boy, he's a cat. And his primary form of communication is meowing. Like a kitty. At home. And out in public.
Don't get me wrong: Megan loves Bubby. And hearing Bubby meow around the house is precious and cute, especially when his imagination takes over during playtime with his Mommy Kitty and Baby Kitty stuffed animals -- the only other cats in residence. But when the 30-month-old who was formerly mature in the face of friends, family and strangers responds to Mommy's fellow shoppers or coworkers asking "How are you today" with mewling, yowling, and meowing -- or all three -- the cute factor is decreased by 100 percent. Megan's been mortified more often than not when out in public the last week or so, wondering where-oh-where did her big Bubby go.
Sunday evening Megan told me about the trip she, Preston and Bubby made that afternoon to a retailer to do some exchanging of Christmas gifts. On the way, the car stereo was cranked and the family was singing along. All three of them. Impressed that Bubby seemed to be joining in the fun, Megan told Preston, "Listen, Bubby's singing, too." So they both quieted their own tunes and bent their ears to the backseat to hear Bubby's contribution to the merriment. Only the merriment fell flat when they noticed that his cheerful song was only one word, over and over: "meow, meow, meow, meow."
I've not yet heard the kitty talk from Bubby as Megan warns him as he comes to the phone wanting to talk to Gramma that kitties don't talk to grandmas, only big boys do. After several attempts at getting his way with a mewl or two, he realizes Mommy means business and finally responds with "I'm a big boy" and commences a quick conversation with me, telling me about his new trucks and Roxy's bone and offering a rushed "Buh-bye, I love you!"... then he's off the phone and back to meowing.
I would think it more likely for Bubby to pretend to be a dog, romping and "ruff"-ing with his dog, Roxy. Being a kitty has me a bit perplexed. One might imagine odd behavior coming from a kid dealing with stress and trauma and drama in his environment, but other than a new brother on the way, Bubby's life is pretty stress-free ... if not downright boring, Megan might say.
Tay Hohoff famously noted that, "There are few things in life more heartwarming than to be welcomed by a cat," but this cat has worn out its welcome from Megan and Preston. With one more week remaining of holiday vacation from school -- where Bubby would likely speak "normal" in the face of peer pressure -- I'm wondering if Bubby's parents ... and Bubby ... will make it through the kitty phase unscathed.
"It could be worse," I tried to console Megan. "He could be pretending he has an imaginary friend, which would scare the cuss out of you, thinking he was seeing ghosts."
She readily agreed. But that doesn't mean she's okay with the meowing. And my attempts to Google some assistance or, at the very least, an explanation, have provided neither.
My suggestion? I think Megan needs to play into the kitty behavior ... by offering up a nice can of salmon-and-cheese Friskies for Bubby's next meal because that's what kitties eat. Being the finicky eater he is, Bubby will surely return to big-boy status immediately if faced with the stinky pate.
On the other hand, he may shock the cuss out of Megan and simply do like my finicky felines do: yowl for the Friskies turkey giblet flavor instead.
In that case, Megan may as well pick up a cat collar and some cat nip while stocking up on the Friskies, for if picky-eater Bubby readily nibbles cat nosh, that's a sure sign the Bubby Kitty is here to stay. Whether Megan wants a kitty or not.
Today's question:
What kind of imaginary friend -- or persona -- did you, your kids or your grandkids have as a child?
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Reader Comments (15)
LOL. That is so funny. A few of my grandchildren had imaginary friends.
I can't remember any of mine having imaginary friends! I do know that the best thing for her to do is ignore it as much as possible, but require him to speak to ask for what he wants. Like she has been doing, saying that she can't understand what he wants unless he asks for it.
The closest thing we had to this was when our middle schoolers (what is it about that age?) would refer to themselves in the 3rd person. Christa thinks she would like a drink of water. Christa wants to go to the mall.... Very annoying. But as with most annoying behavior, if you ignore it, it doesn't get the response they desire and they give it up eventually!
Bernice
http://livingthebalancedlife.com/2010/christmas-2010-what-worked-what-didnt/
BERNICE: Excellent advice! Thank you!
That was so cute. I'm willing to bet he won't go for the friskies (but my kids ate stuff off the floor, and not with my blessing!)
I don't think my kids had any imaginary friends, but I did. And for quite awhile during my childhood. Maybe that's what's wrong with me now? :-)
Terri
When Jennifer, the sister right behind you, was Bubby's age, she had an imaginary friend named "Don" and she found a pair of scissors, cut the hair off her tall-as-she-was doll and made the doll into "Don" from the TV show "Lost in Space". He eventually lost her interest so, tell Megan that having a cat for a son is one of those "...this, too, will pass" things. Of course, she might loose her mind in the meantime.
Kaylee does that, too. She once crawled an entire block in my neighborhood because she was a kitty at the time. She got over it. So will Bubby. He's just exercising his imagination.
He's using his imagination and having fun. That's worth celebrating, even though it's sometimes annoying. He might also be looking for a little extra attention because of the new baby. I'd make him use his words for things he wants, but I'd pet him and meow with him, too.
Oh, my grandparenting chronicles are rife with incidents like this one! My most artistic and individualistic grandchild was either a horse or a dinosaur (Littlefoot from The Land Before Time) for almost all of her preschool life. She walked on all fours more than she walked upright!
Several of my grands also had imaginary playmates, and not all of them were human, either. My oldest granddaughter had an imaginary turtle that she carried in her hand. She would get very upset if I grabbed her hand when she was holding her turtle.
Ok, I absolutely love Bubby now. hehe Let me tell you a story.....
Shortly after I had my first son, my beloved cat had a litter of kittens and then was poisoned by a neighbor. She died and left me with a bunch of babies to care for and so I bottle fed them and cared for Beau at the same time. It was exhausting. All those babies wanting to be fed at the same time. hehe Anyway, while feeding the kittens I would meow at them like I did to their mother when she was alive. She was very vocal and we would have many feline conversations this way, lol.
As they got a little bigger, they would really let me know when they were hungry by yowling at the top of their baby lungs. One day, I was busy in the kitchen while Beau was lying on a blanket in the living room. I began hearing a kitten mewing and meowing and yowling. It went on for a few minutes and I figured I had better go see what was going on.
Low and Behold, it was my son, Beau, speaking his first word! LOL! For the next couple months, every time he wanted me he would MEOW for me, rofl. He did grow out of it, of course, and now speaks perfectly good English. (Although, now that I think of it, he DID have to go to speach class in kindergarten!)
I was too boring to have an imaginary friend. None of my girls had one either.
I'm sure Bubby is just having a 'phase'--maybe he likes the sound, maybe he likes the repetition,maybe he's getting a lot of attention? Ah, the phases of childhood. Always interesting!
It's ironic that my youngest has been acting like a kitty today, too. More precisely, she was meowing that she was Skippyjon Jones (a kitty who thinks he's a chihuahua)... it's is pretty irritating. Here's to hoping that Bubby soon tires of that game!
MRS. MAYHEM: I love it! Skippyjon Jones! Too cute! I have a kitty who thinks she's a dog ... but a pit bull, not a chihuahua (although I think a chihuahua is far more fierce than my pit the cat imitates!).
Great story.
My best imaginary friend (I had several) was a 1/2 inch high troll doll. He lived in my pocket with a rubber snake, a mouse and two little people who sat in my ear to talk so I could hear them.
I see you washed the color out of your shorts, Lisa. I can hardly wait for Valentine's day :O)
It sounds like Bubby has a great imagination. I'm sure the kitty phase will pass and it won't be the last phase that tries his mom's patience.
I kind of miss the decor on your briefs.
As a cat admirer I'd say Bubby has good taste in imitating a cat! I would just be patient with it as he'll soon tire of being a cat :)
My kids had "lovies' -- favorite blanket (son) and doll (daughter) but not imaginary friends.
I remember having an imaginary friend though --- it was Popeye! lol!