Obsessions
True facts from my childhood (and beyond): my mom collected apples, my dad collected buffaloes, my aunt and one of my good friends collected turtles. I collected big cats. (Mind you, we're talking knick-knacks and pictures only - although I'm sure my dad has considered acquiring a live buffalo at least once in his life.)
Today I can't quite explain the big cats thing. I did like them a lot, and they were a convenient collector's item for a while because there were always lion posters available from the Troll Book Order catalog and we made frequent trips to zoos and wildlife parks, where figurines and t-shirts were abundant. I even spent hours working on sketches of big cats and had just about perfected my pencil-drawn copy of the majestic lion whose photograph hung framed on my wall.
However, I think my motivation came less from the love of a species and more from the notion that every normal person has one obsession or another. After all, how else will people know what to get you for your birthday?
You'll be relieved to hear that I have long outgrown the big cats obsession; they are still my favorites at the zoo, of course, but you would be hard pressed to find any porcelain tigers or framed lion photos in my home these days. (And I would be hard pressed to keep such an item were I to receive it as a gift, so don't get any ideas...) The truth is that I've discovered that I am just not the collecting type. (Unless you count books - or kids' toys - but who can help that?) Perhaps that will change someday, but I'm content to keep my obsessions varied and ever changing these days.
My children, on the other hand, are obsessed with obsessions. I'm sure this is a normal part of childhood (and maybe partly to explain my now-forsaken love of tigers?), but it amuses me to no end to discover what the weekly/monthly/daily obsession might be. I'm amazed at how committed they can be to their obsessions - but I also have a hunch that these things that they love so dearly today will be distant memories before long.
Sarah's longest obsession to date is with the color pink. When we started potty-training last fall, she'd perch up there on the toilet, swinging her legs, not peeing, and tell me over and over again, "Pink is my faaaaavorite color. Did you know that?" Over. And. Over.
So here we are, several months later, and I am still serving her food in pink containers and lying to her when I put a non-pink hairband in her ponytail. I am occasionally successful in getting her to wear clothes that aren't pink, but only if it's a dress that she can adequately twirl around in.
For a while, especially around Christmas time, when we had attended two family weddings in a short span of time, Sarah was also quite obsessed with "bwides." We had many car conversations about when she would be a bride (and when Luke would have his own bride, who would of course be Stella). She was even dead set on having a "bwide burfday party" - an idea which threw me for a loop until it dawned on me that being a bride is probably a much healthier (or at least more realistic) way for a girl to role play than being a princess... after that, I began to get excited about an unusually themed party, and my sister and I worked up quite the Pinterest board on the topic. Unfortunately, that party idea came to an abrupt end when Sarah walked by the Sam's Club bakery case and spied a dozen "Hello, Kitty" cupcakes. (At least this party will be easier to find paper goods for.)
In addition to these long-term obsessions, Sarah often has a "stuffed animal of the day" (or morning), which she lovingly carries around with her wherever we go (unless I'm paying enough attention to remind her that the stuff zebra does not need to join her in Bible class). She'll find a small blanket (or dirty towel) to wrap the animal in and then coo and fuss over it just like a proper mother hen. And pity the fool/brother who tries to take the animal away from her... The funny thing to me is that the animal changes from one day to the next - but each is just as precious to her as the last. At least, until its day in the spotlight is over - at which point it will be abandoned on the floor until a tired mother or father finally returns it to its home in Sarah's closet.
So here we are, several months later, and I am still serving her food in pink containers and lying to her when I put a non-pink hairband in her ponytail. I am occasionally successful in getting her to wear clothes that aren't pink, but only if it's a dress that she can adequately twirl around in.
For a while, especially around Christmas time, when we had attended two family weddings in a short span of time, Sarah was also quite obsessed with "bwides." We had many car conversations about when she would be a bride (and when Luke would have his own bride, who would of course be Stella). She was even dead set on having a "bwide burfday party" - an idea which threw me for a loop until it dawned on me that being a bride is probably a much healthier (or at least more realistic) way for a girl to role play than being a princess... after that, I began to get excited about an unusually themed party, and my sister and I worked up quite the Pinterest board on the topic. Unfortunately, that party idea came to an abrupt end when Sarah walked by the Sam's Club bakery case and spied a dozen "Hello, Kitty" cupcakes. (At least this party will be easier to find paper goods for.)
In addition to these long-term obsessions, Sarah often has a "stuffed animal of the day" (or morning), which she lovingly carries around with her wherever we go (unless I'm paying enough attention to remind her that the stuff zebra does not need to join her in Bible class). She'll find a small blanket (or dirty towel) to wrap the animal in and then coo and fuss over it just like a proper mother hen. And pity the fool/brother who tries to take the animal away from her... The funny thing to me is that the animal changes from one day to the next - but each is just as precious to her as the last. At least, until its day in the spotlight is over - at which point it will be abandoned on the floor until a tired mother or father finally returns it to its home in Sarah's closet.
Although Luke has lost the ability to see things with a toddler's simplicity, he has not lost the ability to obsess over things; perhaps this ability is only increasing with his age. He has always been one to stick with one (and only one) preferred food, especially at breakfast. For a long time, that was oatmeal; I'd even bring a few packets with us when we traveled just in case we needed them. Now he has moved on to scrambled eggs... Needless to say, I am not as obliging about this particular obsession, and it is the source of many breakfast battles. Let's just say that my holdout against Pop-Tarts may be soon coming to an end.
In addition to food, Luke has begun to focus on certain toys and activities over others. This is actually new for him; when he was younger, it was often hard to pick out gifts for him because he tended to play with anything but not necessarily love one thing more than another. However, a true winner in the favorite toy (of the moment) contest can now be found in race cars. It is not unusual for him to climb into his carseat with a fistful of Hot Wheels, and when we are home, he is forever crashing his cars into the walls and furniture and sending them speeding off the stairs and tables. We tried to pick out some birthday gifts (for other kids) at Wal-Mart the other day, and I could. not. pull the child away from the toy cars section. I finally suggested that he show me what he wanted for his birthday, and in response, he pointed to each and every toy in the aisle. Individually.
Luke has always been obsessed with books, of course, and I am happy to claim some responsibility for that. However, I created a monster when I introduced him to audiobooks - especially the Magic Treehouse series. Oh man. During our daily car trips, we have listened to nearly 30 of the books in that series (YES.) and some of them repeatedly. The books are actually quite good and educational - in addition to being accessible and interesting to preschoolers. However, there's a limit to what any sane grown-up can handle. The minute I get in the car, he asks if we can listen to the Magic Treehouse - and if I haven't made a decision about it already, I'm cooked. We've even had to work on ways that one might ask that question and have better hopes of it being answered in the positive (as opposed to petulant demands, which never work well in my vicinity). This morning we started a different book in my desperate attempt to not be driven crazy by Marie Pope Osborne. We'll see how that goes.
Finally, as if to not be outdone by his sister, Luke has a color obsession as well: red. I think it's mostly related to the race car obsession, but nonetheless, it's his favorite color to wear, to eat off of, and to brag about when the favorite color conversation comes up (which is a lot). I even had to go out of my way to find him some red sandals for this summer... watch out Southside - those red sandals are going to be awesome on Sunday mornings in July!
Like I said, it's fun to watch them go through these stages and focused interests. I know that we'll forget some of them eventually, but it's amazing how much these things are a part of our lives right now. And who's to say I won't have a race car driver and/or pink bride in the family one of these days after all?
In addition to food, Luke has begun to focus on certain toys and activities over others. This is actually new for him; when he was younger, it was often hard to pick out gifts for him because he tended to play with anything but not necessarily love one thing more than another. However, a true winner in the favorite toy (of the moment) contest can now be found in race cars. It is not unusual for him to climb into his carseat with a fistful of Hot Wheels, and when we are home, he is forever crashing his cars into the walls and furniture and sending them speeding off the stairs and tables. We tried to pick out some birthday gifts (for other kids) at Wal-Mart the other day, and I could. not. pull the child away from the toy cars section. I finally suggested that he show me what he wanted for his birthday, and in response, he pointed to each and every toy in the aisle. Individually.
Luke has always been obsessed with books, of course, and I am happy to claim some responsibility for that. However, I created a monster when I introduced him to audiobooks - especially the Magic Treehouse series. Oh man. During our daily car trips, we have listened to nearly 30 of the books in that series (YES.) and some of them repeatedly. The books are actually quite good and educational - in addition to being accessible and interesting to preschoolers. However, there's a limit to what any sane grown-up can handle. The minute I get in the car, he asks if we can listen to the Magic Treehouse - and if I haven't made a decision about it already, I'm cooked. We've even had to work on ways that one might ask that question and have better hopes of it being answered in the positive (as opposed to petulant demands, which never work well in my vicinity). This morning we started a different book in my desperate attempt to not be driven crazy by Marie Pope Osborne. We'll see how that goes.
Finally, as if to not be outdone by his sister, Luke has a color obsession as well: red. I think it's mostly related to the race car obsession, but nonetheless, it's his favorite color to wear, to eat off of, and to brag about when the favorite color conversation comes up (which is a lot). I even had to go out of my way to find him some red sandals for this summer... watch out Southside - those red sandals are going to be awesome on Sunday mornings in July!
Like I said, it's fun to watch them go through these stages and focused interests. I know that we'll forget some of them eventually, but it's amazing how much these things are a part of our lives right now. And who's to say I won't have a race car driver and/or pink bride in the family one of these days after all?
Our boys are o.b.s.e.s.s.e.d with Lightning McQueen. I thought Ethan had it bad, but Isaac takes it to a new level. He insists on watching the movie once a day (good thing there are two!) and carries his own personal Lightning McQueen (with white wall tires) around everywhere, even to bed.
ReplyDeleteOatmeal is the family breakfast, has been for years. But Ethan requires peanut butter mixed with his, and Abigail needs a sprinkling of Cheerios on top. I don't get either myself---just eat!---but some battles are not worth fighting.
Our kids will be normal, more or less, someday, right?