More on the Mintz

Yesterday, as Julia got ready for swim team practice, she began talking to me about the Mintz.  The conversation, full of details about the imaginary family  that lives inside her mind, continued throughout the car ride to practice.


JULIA: (examining the bun I had done in her hair) Mom?  Did you know that Lilly and Zoie Mintz do their buns without doing a ponytail first?  Like, they just grab all their hair like this, and put it into a bun.
ME: Oh, really? 
JULIA: Yeah.  And Mom?  The little sister of one of the Mintz FRIENDS?  Like, she can do a PERFECT bun.
ME: Wait a minute.  You even take the time to think about the little sisters of the friends of the Mintz family??  And how they do buns?
JULIA: Well Mom!  I've been thinking about the Mintz since I was in preschool!
ME: You have?
JULIA: Yeah.  Well, I kind of STOPPED thinking about them in first grade, because, like, I got all into "Harry Potter."  So I started thinking about "Harry Potter" while I galloped.  But then I decided to bring the Mintz back.
ME: Oh, wow.  And what makes you think about how they make their buns in their hair?
JULIA: Well, so, Mom.  I pretend that Lilly's swim team always gets to the Y really EARLY, so they have extra time in the locker room, and so they have these locker room FASHION parties, and they all do their buns with their coach and stuff.
ME: Is Lilly Mintz on the same swim team as you are?
JULIA: Well, I pretend she's in the older group.  Because she IS in sixth grade.
ME: Well, there are some kids who are 10 and 11 on your swim team.
JULIA: I know, but Mom.  Lilly is kind of OLDER.  Like, she's already in sixth grade, but next year in seventh grade she'll be turning THIRTEEN, because her birthday is September 1st.
ME: Wait, you even gave the Mintz birthdays?!?
JULIA: Yes!  Of course I did!


I know it really shouldn't surprise me by this point, but I am continually flabbergasted by the amount of detail Julia puts into this imaginary family of her galloping fantasies. 

I wonder if Lilly Mintz thinks about a made-up family while SHE does Gallop Time.