Elmo

For Christmas Rylie got a little set of 12 Sesame Street board books. They were a purchase I made on a whim with a $10 gift card that I got when I had spent a certain amount. I got them only because they were next to the register and I just wanted to get out of the store. I never dreamed that the thing that I put the least amount of thought into and only paid tax on would be Rylie's most played with item from Christmas. She has pulled those books out a hundred times a day, flipped through them each a thousand times and squeels with delight every time she spots Elmo. She has slowly become obsessed with the bright red little monster. Then she carefully puts them back in their cute little case with the handle and hauls them with her. The other day we were in Target and she saw some Elmo slippers and went haywire. Reaching and squeeling "Elmo" as we got closer. I handed them to her and she hugged them like a doll. I showed them how they went on her feet and she giggled with delight as she kicked her dangling feet back and forth. It was one of those moments I just melted and would have paid anything for those slippers because of the joy that they brought to my baby! (Lucky for me they were on clearance for $3!! Yay me!)

Since then we have purchased 2 Elmo videos and I can honestly say they have been worth every penny! My longest hour of the day is from 4 to 5 when I am trying to get kids homework done, get dinner started, fighting with others about chores, and listening to Rylie scream under my feet because she wants to be held. Now I pop one of those videos in and like magic I have no screaming puppy under foot. She is mesmerized. She dances and sings and learns her letters and numbers. She loves them. She LOVES LOVES LOVES Elmo...and we all love it!