In which we are introduced to Barry...

Minty has an imaginary friend. His name is Barry and he pretty much does everything with her. She carries her hand out to one side when she walks, 'holding' Barry's hand. She feeds him, brushes his teeth, takes him to the potty, and holds conversations with him. Yesterday she cried and when I asked her what was wrong she told me she couldn't find Barry. I told her he was probably just playing hide and seek, so she spent about an hour searching the house for him and calling his name. Eventually we 'found' him in the backyard later in the afternoon. Today she took a little tumble and told me Barry was playing a silly game and had pushed her over.

For the most part Barry is a stand up kind of fellow. He tends to encourage good behaviour and a sense of responsibility in Minty as she likes to make sure he is safe and well looked after. Occasionally however, Barry can be a little annoying. Sometimes he commits the cardinal sin of sitting in my spot on the couch so I have to sit somewhere else. And sometimes if we are sharing some food I'm not allowed to eat a certain piece that is reserved for Barry. He can also be quite demanding when it comes to menu requests, with a penchant for quesadillas and hummus.

I'm not sure how long Barry will be a guest in our home but I'm trying to make him welcome for the duration.