My nose is growing

Real or not real? That is Hannah's favorite game to play lately. Monsters. Real or not real? The Beast in "Beauty and the Beast?" Dinosaurs? Bats? Bears? Dora and other cartoon characters? I'm pretty honest with her. I don't want to ruin the "magic" of princesses and other fantasy characters, but I don't want the witches to scare her away from watching or reading about those princesses (which happens for her a lot). I also don't want her to be so scared that she can't leave my sight in our own home (which has happened, too). Hannah's teacher told a boy this week that his nose would grow if he told a lie just like Pinnochio. So, Hannah's been asking about the story of Pinnochio. I confirmed her teacher's story. Hannah asked if Pinnochio was real, and I told her it was just a story... This afternoon, she told me that she had turned out her light. A lie, which was immediately followed with a reach for the nose. I asked her if she was telling the truth, and she nodded her head while holding her nose. I told her that her nose was growing. She looked doubtful as she felt around on her nose. She asked how noses grew? I told her it was magic that only parents could see. She asked if it would grow into a branch? I replied that as soon as she told the truth her nose would go back to normal. "Mommy, I didn't turn off the light." Her nose was back to normal. But mine had grown!