Trucks, Trucks, Trucks...the Obsession Continues

One thing that's constant with a toddler is that nothing stays the same. For days, Elliot played with nothing but his teapot. Then, all of a sudden, he was over tea and focused on playing with his Little People. He wants to listen to nothing but "música salsa," for weeks, and then suddenly, only the Beatles will do.

A toddler's tastes are fickle. But for Elliot, one thing has been a constant source of amusement and fascination: trucks. If anything, Elliot's obsession with trucks of all types and sizes -- from a miniature plastic roller to the garbage truck rolling down the street-- has only deepened.

Lately, Elliot can often be found lying on his belly, slowly moving one or more toy trucks across the sofa, carpeting (or when I took my eye off him for a moment), the filthy garage floor. "Forklift picks up everything," he excitedly exclaims. "Front loader picks up dirt."

And he should know. Recently, his taste in videos has changed from Elmo and Thomas the Tank Engine to promotional videos for Volvo construction equipment and instructional videos about bulldozers and excavators set to music. (Yes, everything exists on Youtube!).

I look around our family room. If I wanted to sit down on the sofa, I'd have to move a Matchbox dump trunk, Thomas the Tank Engine and a green and red farm loader. On the floor, a "green" fire engine (made of recycled red plastic) keeps a large front end loader and a smiling dump truck company. Closer to Elliot's toy box, an upside-down car carrier and a school bus full of assorted animals wait to be played with again.

Lest you think he spent the morning playing with trucks, he was only in the family room for about 30 minutes so far today. That's because Elliot and I were out and about: we stood outside of a delivery truck, looking at "where the driver sits." We had to get just a "little bit closer" to a parked mail truck. And for at least 10 minutes, we watched a large flatbed truck idle...before going to play in the park with Elliot's excavator.

Trucks, trucks, trucks, truck, trucks. My little boy loves his trucks. And because I love him, I now spend a lot of time with trucks!

To My Little Valentine

Dear Elliot,

I love you when...

...you dance with me to the tune of the garbage disposal, request apples for your puppet giraffe, pretend to eat my hair. I love you when you're silly!

...you kiss me with your mouth wide open, give me hugs before I leave the house, tell me you want to "snuggle Mommy." I love you when you're sweet!

...you get up on the "Crabby Appleton" side of bed, whine for no apparent reason, throw tantrums on the floor. Although I don't like your behavior, I love you when you're crabby!

...you cling to me, hide behind me and don't want to try new things...and then eventually realize you like them. I love you when you're timid (and love when you realize you don't have to be)!

...you play the tambourine to my maraca, sit on the floor with me as we read "just one more" story together, help me cook (usually by adding random amounts of pepper). I love you when you're fun to be around!

I love you, my little Valentine...always and unconditionally.

A Random Number of Random Musings

Some random musings on a snowy Friday afternoon:

• Pre-Elliot, I never would have thought it possible for someone to repeat the word "no" for 25 minutes straight. Now I know -- it can be done!
  

• Why do store clerks slow move so slowly when Elliot is having a major meltdown at checkout? This morning, I had time to peel my toddler off the floor at least four times while the cashier processed my $7 purchase.

• How can a dish soap sponge and a vacuum cleaner (which Elliot pretends is a leaf blower) be more fun to play with than so many of his large and varied assortment of toys?

• When will I learn that certain types of questions, such as "Why do you insist on having a major meltdown every Thursday?" are totally non-productive with a toddler?
  

• How did Elliot manage to memorize so many of his books at such a young age? It's amazing to watch him stare intently at the pictures and recite the words, page-by-page, to books ranging from Where the Wild Things Are to No, David! to the Pout Pout Fish in the Big, Big Dark.
  

• While I hope Elliot someday learns the "right" way to kiss, there's nothing like getting a big open-mouthed smooch from my sweet little boy!