The super-super secret origin of Baby Num

This morning we were talking about what could possibly stop Zazie’s imaginary friend, Baby Num, from eating everything up (not only all the candy in Moppie and Poppie’s candy drawer, but also all the people and the buildings and the toys and the cars and tow trucks)? See, if Baby Num goes to jail, she eats up jail, if she goes to prison, she eats up prison and then if she eats too much prison and goes to the hospital, then she eats up the hospital.

So Vik said what is she afraid of?

Baths! Oh, but then she would just eat up the bath.

Maybe she could be held in an air prison, like a tornado. She can’t eat up air.

Yeah, but could swallow it. We could just put her on Moppie and Poppie’s front porch. The gate would hold her. She would never escape from there.

Prison can’t hold her, but Moppie and Poppie’s little white picket gate is foolproof. But then there would be all that access to the candy drawer.

Vik says, Zazie do you know what superheroes are?

Baby Num’s Daddy is a super hero and her Mommy is a Princess!

Of course, for Zazie, all princesses are arch-villains, so this is the perfect origin myth where the superhero and villain marry. Of course their spawn is Baby Num. Who else?

Well, then Baby Num’s Daddy’s name is Clark Kent.

You mean Clark Kent Clemson. Her Mommy’s name is Bef. But we did some paperwork and we had to change her name.

Yes, Clark Kent Clemson and Bef Clemson. Well Clark was born on a red star and was sent on a baby-sized rocket ship to earth.

And he had to bring all the Numbies with him, right? In his pocket?

And he was found in a corn field by a kindly couple called Ma and Pa Kent.

Can they be called Ma and Pa Ol’ Joe Clark? More paperwork.

They soon discovered Clark had superpowers. He could fly, stop trains, and run really fast.

Like a gnome? Gnomes have six times the strength of humans and can run really fast, especially if they ride express goose.

Um, yes, but Clark can also fly.

Ooh, they are flying gnomes. Clark is a fairy gnome!

Clark’s Mommy made him a costume out of his red and blue baby blanket and nothing could tear it.

Like my gnome, he wears red and blue. I think his clothes are made from trees.

Well, Clark’s earth Mommy said that he had to use his powers for good.

Like to be an animal doctor?

Or to help the police, like when they can’t stop a train from falling over. And Clark’s Mommy put an “s” on his costume, because they called him…

S Train! He is the S Train, and I am the A train! (Runs away looking for her NYC Subway t-shirts).

Yes, so Clark Kent Clemson, Baby Num's Daddy, is the gnome “S Train” (which is probably for the best, as we narrowly escape the introduction of another popular media character limiting Zazie’s irrepressible imagination). And we learn a little more about Baby Num.