Cats, Banana Sam and Taking the Kiddies at Their Word

When The Girl was about 3 years old I heard her ask from the other room "Mom, can I be a cat?" Thinking that she was going to crawl along the floor, saying meow, rubbing the side of her face against the furniture and pretending to scratch the furniture, I said "Sure, you can be a cat."
A few minutes later I found her sitting on the living room floor with an orange Sharpie in her hand, drawing stripes all along her arms, legs and belly.
I had only myself to blame. I did, in fact, say she could be a cat.

Yesterday Hubby had a similar experience. The Boy LOVES wearing his backpack. Usually it's full of crayons, hotwheels and various things from the house he finds interesting. As Hubby and The Boy were leaving the house yesterday The Boy said "Daddy, I have monkeys in my backpack." Hubby, thinking The Boy's statement was just the odd chatter of a 3 year old boy, dismissed it. The Boy has been very interested in the story of Banana Sam, and that he was returned to the SF Zoo in a backpack. Perhaps Hubby was thinking The Boy was referring to that incident.

As it turns out, The Boy did, in fact, have monkeys in his backpack; two of them to be precise. He had stolen the salt and pepper shakers off the kitchen table. Now his backpack and all its contents are sufficiently seasoned.