Livia’s imagination is growing by leaps and bounds these days. At any given moment, her name may be Jeff (from the Wiggles), Jofus (Joseph of the biblical coat of many colors), or Strawberry Shortcake. The name changes extend to the rest of the family as well. When Liv is Jeff, then I am instantly Murray and Jeremy is Pirate. The Strawberry Shortcake title was actually given by Jeremy after he became Bob the Tomato and I assumed the Larry the Cucumber role. (We don’t own a ton of Veggie Tales, so SS was the next best thing, fruit-wise.)

Liv’s interest in Joseph has increased due to Vacation Bible School. Pastor Keith’s depiction of the patriarch entertained all the kids that week – and my child began emulating him right away. Creating a hat out of a pair of purple panties, one pigtail visible through a leg hole, she declared she was Mad Jofus. Why so mad? I think it had something to do with her mean brothers who took her coat away and then sold her.

Mad Jofus has morphed into Special Jofus. Yesterday Liv insisted on being called Special Joseph and I finally pressed her as to why she was special. “Because I love you, that’s special,” she responded, kissing my leg with affection. Yup, my heart melted a little bit.

This morning I told her that I needed a new name if she was Joseph. I wracked my brain for ideas… Pharoah? Potiphar? Livia settled it for me: Pastor Keef.