The house feels kind of empty without Alf and Anaconda

Amelia told me last night that Alf and Anaconda are gone. Shall I repeat that for you or are you just wondering if both me and my daughter have become afflicted with a sudden case of madness?

For the record, and to prove our sanity, Alf, as in the alien life form made famous on his 1980s-era sitcom, and Anaconda, as in the biggest snake species in the world, have been Amelia's imaginary friends for years.

Anaconda came to reside at our home when Amelia was about three after my dear daughter become acquainted with the reptile thanks to an episode of "Go Diego Go." She decided tout suite that she must have one of her very own. Since I nixed her plan to invite something like the creature pictured below into her home, she imagined up one of her very own.

"Darling, I love you, but you're not allowed to have a pet that could eat us all for a snack."

According to Amelia, her Anaconda was small enough to fit in her pocket, purple and very nice. She used to travel with us often and was a very good companion for Amelia. Now she is gone.

Amelia told me last night that Anaconda has gone to live in "Grandmaw's river," which is a rather large creek that runs behind Jeff's parents' house. Apparently, Anaconda is very happy with her new home and has, according to Amelia, "lots of other snakes to be friends with."

Alf became Amelia's next imaginary friend after she discovered his television show thanks to the magic of DVDs. She loves this show and still watches it quite often. Alf's antics crack her up so it's no wonder she invited him to live with her and be her partner in crime.

 "I have a sudden craving for cat. Got any fresh ones?"

For quite a while, Alf shouldered a lot of the blame for things that went wrong here. Whether it be a spilled drink, shoes left in the kitchen, scissors wielded for home hair cuts or my wedding rings being thrown in the trash, Alf was usually was the hooligan responsible for the crime.

Alf wasn't all bad, though, because he also liked to travel with us and really enjoyed sleeping under Amelia's bed to keep her company and fend off any nefarious aliens or monsters that might try to escape from the closet and frighten her into seeking refuge in our bed.

I was informed last night that Alf has returned to his home planet of Melmac, which apparently regenerated itself after exploding sometime in 1986. Amelia said he's very happy and plans to stay in contact with her via email.

I have to admit that I teared up a little bit upon learning that Alf and Anaconda have moved on. I was saddened because their departure means Amelia no longer feels she needs them to provide her with the security they'd brought to her by their invisible, albeit real to her, presence. She's growing up and feels prepared to tackle life's troubles own her own now.

While I am proud of her willingness to forge ahead without her friends, it is so bittersweet because it's another indicator that my baby is so very quickly becoming the "big girl" she talks so often about.

Amelia didn't seem upset about Alf and Anaconda relocating to new homes, but she did seem reflective and kind of nostalgic, both of which I think are good. I did not let her know this turn of events caused tears to spill from my eyes because I wanted her to feel comfortable that sharing this news with me was a good thing.

I don't know if she will miss Alf and Anaconda. Maybe she will from time to time. I know I will so I hope they stay true to their word to keep in touch. Who knows, maybe they'll come back to visit when Lola gets big enough to need an imaginary friend?