Zylie the Mermaid

Yesterday, as I got down and dirty cleaning and organizing the girls' play kitchen, I found a bunch of little toys in the crack between the bottom of the kitchen set and the floor.  Among the treasures I retrieved was a little mermaid figurine that once belonged to Julia and has been hiding under the play stove for so long that I think both kids forgot about her.  Luckily, Madeleine was thrilled with my discovery, and has adopted the mermaid as her own, carrying it around with her all day today.  (Including in the car every time we have to drive somewhere.) 

Madeleine initially named the mermaid Violet, then changed it to Ziolet.  Since then, she has continually forgotten the name she gave her mermaid, relying upon my memory to recharge hers.

MADELEINE: Mommy?  What did I say her name is?
ME: Whose name?
MADELEINE: My MERMAID.
ME: Uh...oh, gosh, I can't remember. 
MADELEINE: But what name did I give her?
ME: Um...let me think...I know you told me...uh...oh, was it Violet?  No, Ziolet, right?
MADELEINE: (thoughtful) Well, I know her REAL name is Auntie Caitlyn, or Shannon, but it's okay if I call her Zylie.

Zylie.  Aka Ziolet.  Aka Auntie Caitlyn.

Zylie has been interacting with some of the Barbie dolls, most often Blair.  The two dolls have some really pleasant conversations like this:

BLAIR: Hey! What are you doing in my life??
ZYLIE: I wanna say hi.  I'm just waving my hand.

Sometimes, Zylie talks to invisible people like Mr. Nobody.

ME: Madeleine, who is Zylie talking to right now?
MADELEINE: Um...she's...talking to...Mr. Nobody!
ME: Oh.  She is?
MADELEINE: Yeah!  Because...Mr. Nobody turned into a MERMAID.

And sometimes Zylie just talks to herself narcisstically:

ZYLIE: (in awe) Oh, my tail is AMAZING!  (singing) Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo...

The doo-doo-doo is, of course, singing.  Like her big sister (and like her mother as a child), Madeleine is prone to impromptu, made-up songs during her pretend play.  Here, Blair and Zylie both sing their hearts out:



Personally, I would have loved it if Zylie's song segued into STRAWBERRAH!  SHORTCECK!  But no such luck.  I guess Zylie ain't GOT IIIIIT.