Big's Personalities

I know I've mentioned it on here before, but Big very rarely is himself. He seems to always be playing some other role and stays in character better than anyone I've seen. I am constantly forgetting who he's supposed to be and, I don't know why, but I'm still surprised every time a new personality emerges-- I guess I'm always figuring he must have met his limit by now. But, no. In fact, Big surprised me with a new character the other night at bedtime:


Me: "Hey, Big! Come and get your jammies on! It's time to get ready for bed."


Big: (no answer)


Me: "Big! Where are you? I've got your pajamas in the family room. Come get ready for bed!"


Big: (no answer)


Me: "Bi-iiiig! Hey, come on!"


Big: (as he pops his head around the doorframe) "But, Mom. It's Tina."


Yet another to add to the list. It's quite the list, you know. Hmm.. I probably really should make a list instead of just talking about a list that doesn't really exist. It would be nice to have a record of them for us to look back on, I suppose, but I'm quite sure that I won't be able to remember them all*. Let's see...


1. Taylor Hawkins (real-- one of his drummer heros)
2. Dave Grohl (real-- a drummer hero)
3. Raja Bell (real-- a basketball player)
4. Derrick Favors (real-- a basketball player)
5. Nina (real-- the neighbor is nice, but Big's NIna is a bit of a witch)
6. Sandra Burn (fictional-- she likes to clean)
7. Angelina Johnson (fictional-- a Quidditch player in Harry Potter)
8. Joe (fictional-- a worker guy and my sometimes husband who is 42 and calls me 'Honey')
9. Alexandra (real-- a neighbor girl he admires)
10. Tina (fictional)
11. CJ Miles (real-- a basketball player)
12. Sarah (fictional)
13. Dad (when he plays the part of Rophone he insists that Rophone play the part of 'Big')
14. Maximus (fictional-- a horse)
15. Jake (real-- a neighbor boy he saw playing football)
16. Tim Alexander (real-- a drummer)
17. Devin Harris (real-- a basketball player)
18. Eva (real--a girl he goes to school with)
19. Mason (fictional)
20. Megan (real-- a neighbor girl he admires)
21. Violet (fictional-- a character from a book)
22. Savannah (fictional)
23. Powen (fictional)
24. Momoka (real-- a classmate of Ginger's)
25. Frank
26. Mia
27. Joseph (real-- a neighbor, and where it all started when Big was two)


Not to mention all of the different animals he pretends to be throughout the day...


Allosaurus
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Triceratops
Stegosaurus
Parasaurolophus
Leopard
Lion
Tiger 
Crocodile
Jaguar


It is really mind boggling. A sample day may go something like this: I'll feed breakfast to Alexandra, play football with Jake, clean with Sandra Burn, eat a bloody-flesh-of-other-dinosaurs lunch with Tyrannosaurus, read to Sarah, do yard work with Joe, watch Taylor Hawkins play drums (and have to tell him how good he is), then he might switch back to Joe to do some home repairs, and then back to Alexandra for dinner. Who knows. I very rarely do. 


The crazy part is that he is talking non-stop the entire time he plays the parts, referring to himself as the character he is playing, telling me what he/she is doing and instructing me on what I need to be doing. And, he acts completely differently with each one. It's just so mind numbing after a while. Big switches without telling me, too, so I get reprimanded a lot. He also corrects me if I forget to refer to him as a girl when he's playing one. Boy, it's tough.


Luckily, though, it is so often totally hilarious that it makes it all worthwhile. Like, take the other afternoon for instance:


Me: "Big, why don't you go to the bathroom. I think you may need to go."


Big: "I'm sorry. I can't. My little, teeny Tyrannosaurus arms can't reach my pants."


I told him to go and use magic. 


I just love how almost every morning Big walks into the kitchen when he awakens and says, "Do you know who I am?" No. I really don't.


It's definitely never dull with Big (and his many personalities) around. How totally boring our lives would be without them.


*I reserve the right to add to the list at any time my mind decides to remember more.