Kenzie has a new fascination with mermaids. ("Thanks" to Rebecca for loaning her the Mermaidia CD.) The frenzy has spread throughout the preschool class. Now all the girls are mermaids and, as Kenzie told me this morning, "we don't play with the boys anymore." When I asked more about this, I was a little disturbed to hear, "the boys shoot the mermaids."

Me: "They what?"

Kenzie: "Mom, it's just pretend shooting. I don't like guns, but it's just pretend shooting."

Feeling the need to address the "gun" thing in a little more detail, but also pleased that I was getting rare insight into her school day, continued, "and what do the mermaids do?"

Kenzie, with the obvious reply: "The mermaids shoot the humans. We have to shoot the humans or they will hurt the mermaids. They will hurt our fins."

Tough to argue with that. I do believe in self-defense.

Anyway, Sarah and Kyle came over for dinner tonight to give Kenzie her early birthday present. They hit it big with a Mermaidia costume. Here's Kenzie modeling with Sarah. And Mason in the picture for good measure. (In case you're wondering, Mermaids turn into humans when they're not in the water...that's why there are shoes, not a fin. Might also be a safety thing.)