The other night Michael (4) was arranging his stuffed animals along the edge of his bed. He was being very deliberate about putting the toughest, meanest stuffed animals along what was clearly a defensive line. Elephants, tigers, dogs, walruses, and humpback whale were now arrayed along the perimeter.

I asked him what he was doing. "I want to scare girls away from my bed," he replied with a matter-of-fact expression.

I don't think that sentiment will last as long as his mother and I would like.