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Max turned four a couple of weeks ago and my sister took him to Build-a-Bear for his birthday. I went along, too.

He was so excited. He had been talking about building his bear all week. We looked at some different bears and animals on the internet so he could get an idea about what kind of animal he wanted to build. He liked a particular bear, a dog, a cat, and a brown monkey. He had decided on the brown monkey a day or two before our trip. He told me that morning he was going to name his monkey Big Bell Quattro Tom Thumb Monkey.

When we got there he saw this pink monkey. Very pink. Pink with pink hearts. The most girly monkey on the planet. He’s in love with the pink monkey.

Now, I don’t mind if he wants a pink monkey. The thing is he’s only a few months away from an age when most children become very aware of gender stereotypes. During this age kids like everyone and everything to fall into either the boy category or the girl category. There is no blending of categories! Mason is still there a little and it’s so funny. When he found out that I have my own pocket knife he was shocked and a little dismayed. Why would dad allow a girl to carry a pocket knife? Anyway, I want Max to enjoy the monkey for a long time so I suggest that maybe he would like the brown monkey- no, he likes this one. How about the grey cat? No, I just like this one. Did you see these animals over here? No, I just like this one right here. OK

We go on to select a sound to put inside of the Monkey. I thought he would pick the giggle sound, which he really gets a kick out of, or a monkey sound, it is a monkey. He pushed every button but he kept coming back to the ROAR sound. He loved it! I suggested that the roar may go better in a tiger. No dice.

Max built his pink monkey with the ferocious roar and had a blast. He dressed him in logger clothes with overalls, red flannel shirt, cowboy boots, and a tool belt. The clothes cost more than the monkey, but added a Village People kind of machismo. He decided just to name him Quattro. I think that’s a fine monkey name.

Max had the monkey undressed before we were out of the parking lot. He promptly showed me the area between the monkey’s legs and explained that he would have to just call it monkey because it was a girl. Quattro is apparently a very masculine name.

The Monkey is so much like Max. Very sweet looking on the outside, but he’ll sneak up on you with a ferocious roar!