Monsters with Brains and Muscles

Mama, I don't want to sleep in my room because monsters will come and get me.
They have muscles and a brain in their tummy. That's why they are strong and people can't fight them, says A, right before her bedtime.

Oh..so people don't have muscles?? I ask mainly to see where this is going.

No, they only have hands and fingernails.

Oh..so people are not strong because they only have hands and fingernails?

Yes, mama and monsters are strong because they eat beeg rice, beeg broccoli, octopus and tissues. People only eat macaroni and cheese, that's why they only have hands. No muscles. (note to self: stop feeding the kids mac and cheese!)

And when monsters get you, you become dead and then you have to go to the hospital and stay there for a long, long time. And you know what, mama? I am going to be a doctor and give people shots. They can then go home with stickers and get muscles and fight the monsters.

This is a 3 year old's imagination running amok. Together with her animated voice, expressive face and hand gestures, this conversation at the end of a long, tiring day makes it all worthwhile. Moments after she narrates this, she is in deep slumber, perhaps dreaming of acquiring a brainy tummy and muscles so she can fight those darn monsters!