Obsession

Callen has this problem with Obsessions. Now at first I oohed and ahhed and asked him to repeat all the names of the Cars in Disney's movie "Cars". They I would get him to sing the songs on cue for other people all the while thinking how bright my child is (note to self, maybe I should be putting movies on that teach real life values and having him repeat that - Maybe if I have baby #6 I will finally get it right). I think it was when I was on the ground of the library taking all of the books out of the shelves looking for the elusive Guido car. Or when I got home from Costco and realized we had left a car and drove back (yes I admit I am certifiably insane) to find the car only to realize it was gone for good. That was when I realized this obsession was no longer cute. His obsessive nature started when he was about 6 months with a monkey. At the time I thought "on how cute! He loves this little monkey". Hindsight is 20/10, not 20/20. Later I had daydreams of burning that monkey. He had to have the monkey EVERYWHERE he went. Genius mother that I am I scoured for duplicates of this monkey. Luckily Taylor and Natalie were willing to part with their EXACT same monkeys only to find that he could tell the difference between the monkeys because they were slightly "puffier" than his original monkey. I then decided to wash the other 2 monkeys repeatedly and throw them around the house to try to get them to be less "puffy". After about 15 washes, and a lot of raining monkeys it worked! Then we had 3 monkeys to choose from. The problem then was that he now needed ALL THREE monkeys at all times. Moving on to stage 2 in his obsessive history we found CARS. Again I was thrilled that he would sit still for about 30 minutes and I could get a shower. It is amazing to see what you can get done in 30 minutes! Then I realized that he needed to have his cars everywhere we go. Not one, oh no that would be WAY too easy. No, we have to have the whole cast of CARS with us wherever we go. At bath time, at bedtime, at mealtime at errands time and even at church. Now the practical parents out there might say - just take them away. I have to just chuckle to myself when I think of that "practical" advice. If you have seen Callen's temper tantrums you would realize that we are just making it through the day around her and we will re-instate practicality and sane parenting when he is 3. Now I am realizing how expensive replacing lost and forgotten cars are. Again, genius that I am I decided to introduce more Disney movies to him in the hopes that he would lose the Obsession with his favorite toys. Guess what? It worked! Unfortunately it worked a little too well. Now wherever we go Callen brings the following" 3 monkeys, Buzz and Woody the entire collection of CARS Anyone have a straight jacket I could borrow size Women's Medium?

What a patient Dad!

The collection