Mother: Bobette aka Bambi (55)

Daughter: Shanise (37)

Mom: Poconos, Pennsylvania – Daughter: Harlem, New York

Like Mom Like Daughter

Everyone knows Bobette (best known as “Bambi”) and her daughter, Shanise to be a package deal. Where one goes, the other is not far behind. Since the passing of their father/husband, it has truly been Bambi and Shanise against the world. They dress alike, they sound alike, and they consider each other to be one another’s, “soulmate.” They both work in the healthcare field. Bambi works as a nurse and Shanise works as a customer service constultant at a hospital. Bambi lives with her husband Hector in the picturesque Poconos Mountains, three hours from her daughter who lives in New York City. Despite the distance, they split their time, every week, between each other’s homes. Bambi has a room for Shanise in her home, and vice versa, Shanise has a room for Bambi in her home. If Bambi is scheduled to work back home but she’s in the city, she will commute six hours in a day to be with her daughter. The two are beyond inseparable.

Shanise and Bambi have always been close and have "blurred lines" when it comes to the activities they choose to do together. It isn't uncommon for Bambi and Shanise to shower together. They will wash each other’s hair, they soap and lather each other’s bodies, and they sing to one another while they’re cleansing. They get the biggest reaction from people around them when they learn that Bambi and Shanise shave each other's bikini area and buttocks. They don't trust anyone else to see and/or groom their "private parts.” They believe that it’s safer, less expensive, and a “non-issue” for them. Nudity is not an issue. For Hector, Bambi’s current husband, showering together is profoundly disturbing, and he’s had several conversations with his wife about how this makes him feel uncomfortable. For him, it’s not normal and it’s never going to be normal. Additionally, they share, make up, underwear, lingerie and all different types of clothing.

The amount of time they talk on the phone is also extreme. It’s hours upon hours if they don’t happen to be in the same place at the same time. They both call one another at work. The spend their entire commutes visiting one another on the phone. They’ve even been known to fall asleep while on the phone with each other.

Bambi and Shanise's bond solidified when Bambi's husband passed away when Shanise was 5 years old. Bambi realized how precious life was and how much her daughter needed her to take on the role of being the mother and father. To this day, Shanise wakes up every morning to a photo of her dad, and whispers “I Love You Daddy.” The pain and trauma is still real, and the saving grace is that Shanise still has her mother. Because of their father’s passing, Bambi has become exceedingly paranoid regarding Shanise’s safety.

Bambi gets anxious if she doesn't know exactly where Shanise is at all times. Hector says that Bambi is inconsolable if she can't reach Shanise. There was one night that Shanise was out with her friends and her phone was in her purse, Shanise didn't hear the phone ringing over and over again from Bambi's frantic calls to her. Bambi had a full-blown panic attack because she couldn't reach Shanise and thought something was wrong. The distance between them causes Bambi a lot of anxiety and Shanise feels the similar anxiety about not being near her mom. 

Bambi is protective over who Shanise spends her time with, especially because Bambi isn't there to oversee everything as it is happening. Bambi has family members who work for local law enforcement, so anytime Shanise meets a new love interest, Bambi has a background check run on the man to make sure he doesn't have a dark past and is "good enough for her daughter." In fact, Bambi made Hector go through a background check before the two got married. Shanise has an ex-boyfriend who is still trying to pursue her, Bambi gets nervous that he will weasel his way back into Shanise's life and Bambi isn't there to stop it. Shanise still has feelings for her ex, but knows that it would be crushing to her mother if she found out that they were talking or hanging out. Shanise says that she isn't specifically looking for love at the moment, but when she is ready, her mom will be involved in helping pick out her next boyfriend. Shanise and Hector (Bambi's husband) do not get along. The tension between the two makes it difficult for Bambi because she feels caught in the middle. She loves them both, but she feels like Shanise changes her attitude drastically when Hector is around. Bambi says that Shanise acts differently when they are on the phone and Shanise hears Hector's voice in the background. Bambi wants Shanise and Hector's relationship to be amicable so that they could all enjoy spending time together. Bambi feels torn because Hector and Shanise avoid spending time together. Above all else, Bambi want's there to be peace in Shanise and Hector's relationship. 

Though Bambi and Shanise both work in the health care industry, it wasn't until a few years ago that they made their own health a priority. Shanise, a health care customer service provider, and Bambi had a wake up call when they were both diagnosed with high blood pressure and diabetes. They were both overweight and decided that they could "turn the bus around" together. They put their minds to eating healthy and exercising so that they could improve their health together. They each lost about 70 pounds as a result of their commitment to each other and their health. They aren't done with their health and wellness journey together, they want to lose a little more weight and then treat themselves to matching Brazilian Butt Lift surgeries. They love to wear skintight, matching dresses for their frequent nights out on the town. This mother daughter duo aren't shy when it comes to "turning up" together and being the center of attention while they are out for a night out on the town.

Bambi also recently learned that the man who she believed to be her father, was not in fact her biological father. Now through DNA testing, she is learning about and meeting new family members and siblings. Just recently, Bambi and Shanise met several of Bambi’s half-siblings. They think that there are indeed new family members out there, just waiting to meeting them.

Rituals

·      Bambi and Shanise shave each other's "private parts", Bambi taught Shanise to do it when she was young and they only trust each other to do it. They also shave each other's buttocks.

·      They take showers together where they wash each other’s hair.

·      Cuddle and sleep in the same bed together.

·      They have breakfast together everyday when they’re together, usually followed by a shower.

·      Want to have Brazilian Butt Lift surgery together.

·      Bambi will go on first dates with Shanise and her new love interests - if Bambi is unavailable, Shanise will reschedule. 

·      Bambi runs background checks on all of Shanise’s boyfriends. 

Tension:

Bambi and Shanise are so dependent on each other for everything. Though there is distance between them, they still need to see each other as much as possible and have to be in constant communication with each other. They know that a move closer together would make things much easier for them to be able to spend more time together. Going back and forth to each others houses to stay is cutting it for now, but they want to be closer eventually. The tension in Hector and Shanise's relationship is a hurdle that Bambi and Shanise need to address. Moving close together means that Hector will have to be in the mix as well, Shanise will need to bury the hatchet with Hector so that a move back to the city makes sense for him. Hector likes having his alone time with Bambi, but he knows that moving closer to Shanise would mean that he would be the third wheel, and he's not looking for more problems.