"Where is Bambi's Mommy at?"

Thanks, Walt Disney. Thanks for killing off Bambi's mom, and every other mom in your supposedly made for children cartoon movies. I understand that death is a part of life, but- dude... come on!

So the other day Eleanore and I are sitting up in her bedroom, putting on a good morning outfit (sometime after lunch of course, because who gets dressed before noon, really), talking about how we might go outside and play later. On the floor next to Eleanore's closet, is a 12" TV/VCR combo that my parents got for me as a gift (maybe my birthday? My mom worked for Panasonic.) when I was 10 or 11. WHOA, mom and dad... my own TV?! I was so cool. Well now its Eleanore's TV, as are allll the Disney VHS tapes that go with it.

So there we are, sitting on her floor (I already said that, didn't I), when Eleanore asks if she can watch Bambi. "Sure", I responded, and then popped the ancient dust covered tape into the player. Usually by this point, I walk away. Shes distracted enough that now would be the absolute perfect time to go and do something else. Anything else. Dishes, blog, laundry, edit photos, make something ridiculously yummy completely from scratch- anything. But instead, I sat there by her side, watching Thumper kick his leg against the ground and say "I'm thumpin', that's why they call me Thumper!". Eleanore recites that very line maybe 100 times a day. The other day she stopped every couple of feet, to do it, while we were walking home from the park, even though every time, her rain boot would fall off and either she'd trip, or her bare foot would land on the cold concrete and get soaked. It was nice though, being on her bedroom floor ignoring my chores, dissolving into a Disney movie the same way that I did when I was her age.

Until Bambi's mom died.

"Where is Bambi's Mommy at?", Eleanore asked me.

My mind went blank. My vocal chords froze. My heart ever so briefly stopped.

"Well, Eleanore. Bambi's mommy had to go bye bye, and shes not coming back", I finally said, not so sure of myself. Seconds later, when she caught up to my not so greatly thought out answer, she says back to me "oh, well he can just get a new mommy then". ...Crap.

"It doesn't really work like that, Elie. See, Bambi's mommy got- um. Bambi's mommy was- and, then... she... Bambi's mommy died".

*silence*

"Oh", she said, matter of factly. I let out my breath as the weight lifted off of my shoulders. Just as the smile was returning to my face, Eleanore says "Bambi's mommy! Bambi's mommy! Come back! Come back! Come baaaaaaack Bambi's mommmmyyyy".

Dangit.

"No honey, Bambi's mommy died. Bambi is going to go live with his daddy now, OK? And his daddy will take care of him and raise him to be an adult Bambi. His mommy is gone", I tried to correct. Luckily, right about there was when Thumper made his return to the screen, distracting her from any worries about Bambi's mother that she may have had.

I sat there in silence, trying to think about how I would explain death to my 3 year old daughter. It just so happened that a few days later, we made friends with a butterfly that she later stomped to death (that's a whole other story that you're more than welcome to read about here of course), and I got another chance. Again though, a fail.

So, Walt Disney. Where is your movie explaining that? Huh?

Bambi's Mommy went to Hawaii. She did the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred for like 100 days beforehand, she bought herself a brand new bikini, and then she treated herself to a much needed vacation. She left her son with his father for a change, booked a hotel with her friends, drank 4 fruity cocktails on the flight over, and that, my dear, is where Bambi's mom is.