Keeping Bunnies Out

For months now, Ivan has been talking about bunnies. He's especially concerned that bunnies will get in, or that they won't get in.

As his speech and imagination have developed over the last few months, and especially in the last few weeks, the bunnies conundrum keeps getting more complicated. Now, he insists on having his imaginary play doors, which can be anything from my legs to invisible pretend doors to his house (e.g. the leather couch), closed so that bunnies don't get in.

Even when we play with blocks and build houses or garages, the "doors" need to be shut or open "so that bunnies don't get in." Or the child gate at the top of the stairs, or the actual doors. They must be closed or open so that bunnies don't get in.

Earlier this week, he was pointing to imaginary animals that were either on the edge of the rug or under the rug. I wasn't sure of their actual location since he kept lifting the carpet. But in any case, that's were the bunnies' cage was. Keeping bunnies in a cage was a new word, a new concept. His imagination is definitely working and developing.

He's been concerned with bunnies for the last 4-5 months, at least. We have no clue how this bunnies' concern originated. Over the summer he saw bunnies in Andy's parents' yard. He also frequently saw bunnies at the park with my parents. I'm sure he's seen bunnies with us as well. He has several stuffed bunnies toys, but he never really plays with them or pays attention to them. (Although I'm sure if I were to remove them, he'd notice in a second. "That mine, that mine," he'd cry.) We don't have any books where bunnies are the main protagonist (except for the bunny in the "Good Night Moon" book.)

Maybe it's something he's heard or learned in daycare. I keep meaning to ask Ms. Yvonne, but I keep forgetting. I mean, what do I say, "do you talk about keeping bunnies in or out?"

Andy asked him the other night, what would happen if bunnies would get in. "They would bite me," Ivan said while jumping on the bed in his regular post-bath, pre-bed time segment.

We became concerned that maybe he's really afraid of bunnies. But why or how? He's never been bitten by anything, so why that fear. It's also very likely he said that just to say something without realizing the meaning of his words, which is something he says often these days, when he repeats words or phrases he's heard without full understanding of what they mean.

In any case, I'm sure the pretend imaginary bunnies are here to stay.