Pretend Boyfriend

Jocie has become very interested in boyfriends. First it was being a mommy, or a princess who obviously needed a prince, then getting married and having a husband, now it's boyfriends!! I promise I do not let them watch any TV where she could be getting this ideas from. I think the princess stuff came from all the princess stories and fairy tales that we read, and the husband thing obviously from watching mom and dad, and I think the boyfriend thing might come from watching my sisters dating and getting engaged. Aaron gets really irritated with the "pretend boyfriend" deal and tells me not to encourage it, and I don't think I do, but I do want to hear what is in her little mind and I want to build that trust on which they can feel comfortable to come talk to me about whatever they want without feeling embarrassed.

The other day Jocie wanted to do just that. She came to me and said:

Jocie: "Mom, I want to tell you something"
Mom: "Yeah? What's that?"
Jocie: " I have a boyfriend"
Mom: "Really?"
Jocie: "It's just a pretend boyfriend mom"
Mom: "Tell me about your pretend boyfriend. What is his name?"
Jocie: "Carlo"
Mom: "Oh, Carlos is a good name"
Jocie: "No mom! CARLO"
Mom: "Oh, sorry! CarlO."

...And the conversation continued until she had described to me every detail about him. He spoke Spanish, had brown hair, green eyes, and was tall, but not as tall as the sky just taller than her, plays soccer, is smart at school, he is nice to her, his parents and friends and likes to take her to the movies. Naomi kept interrupting saying that Jocie's pretend boyfriend liked to eat bugs, and that she was going to tell daddy, haha! I think she was a little jealous she didn't come up with that idea first.

Did I mention she is only 3-almost 4?