Naming Conventions

Spark has decided that everyone and everything must have a name. He's become so obssessed with names that I have started to run out of on-the-spot answers. Yes, despite my quick creativeness, I have run dry.

He has named Daddy's truck. Yes, that would be Rex. Mommy's blue van is Tessa. Each member of his huge collection of puppies now has a name, from Brownie to Waterboy to Cutie Girl. As we were digging through a pile of clearance plush items at a local bookstore yesterday, he picked up each one and asked me their names. Fortunately, some had a name on the tag. Others did not. This afternoon as we walked by a Hanes cutout of a life-size 8ish year old boy, Spark wanted to know, "What his name?"

To respond, "I don't know," is not sufficient. Spark demands to know the names of these creatures. So, I feel like I'm constantly pulling names out of a hat.

The other day, though, we're pulling into our driveway where Buzz's truck is parked when Spark screams, "WATCH OUT! WATCH OUT!" I hit the brake, "What, Spark?"

He shakes his head, like I'm crazy (and I very well may be). "I'm not talking to you, Mommy. I'm talking to Tessa. Tessa, be careful. Don't hit Rex."