December 15, 2002 - Sunday
At his birthday (tomorrow) celebration today, Harry got this rather large teddy bear from his grandparents. After the party - it was a fairly small party attended by Uncle Ben, Aunt, Lisa, and Chloe and Nicole and her parents Mike and Roxann, in addition to Grandpa Hal and Grandma Shirley, but one Harry was looking forward to - was over Harry, his mother, and me were around the kitchen table while he ate a bedtime snack. His brother had already gone to bed, but the bear was sitting there with us and his mother suggested that this bear, unlike the great majority of other friends who retain more descriptive names like "Little Teddy," "Piggy," "Doggy," and "Big Panda," ("Tommy Panda" is an exception), needed a name.

"What do you want to name him?" she asked.
There was a brief pause, maybe five seconds or so, before Harry answered. I'm a bit surprised he did answer and I didn't expected him to be so decisive, although I'm really not sure why.
"Rodo," he answered in a soft voice, but one that seemed to become more confident with the second syllable.
"Rodo," replied his mother with a big smile of approval and success.
"Rodo, that's a good name, Harry," I added, thinking it was really a good name and far from some potentially awkward one we might have lived with for years.

Later, lying at bedtime talking, Harry said he enjoyed party. I asked him which present he liked the best, thinking it would certainly be Rodo, whom he had been with almost ever since and whom he had even argued should join him for his evening bath. I thought there was a chance he would say the firetruck, too, since that seemed to go over particularly well.

"Sponge paint," was his answer. I asked him again a few moments later, but the answer didn't change. Who can figure?


Comments, Opinions?