A Little Monkey Business
I don't know if OCD is genetic or contagious, but I do know that both the Toddler and I suffer from the affliction. For me, it means hours of digging around in the Saltwater Tank of Horrors. For the Toddler, it means fixating on a character and spending every possible moment relishing in the glory that is that character.
Since Elmo is SO two months ago, lately we've been on a Curious George kick. We read the same book over and over and over each and every night. Except that we don't actually read the book because it is one of those allegedly vocabulary building annoyances that just has lots of pictures with the appropriate label next to each one. I've never quite managed to entertain myself by reciting every kind of toy under the sun, so mostly we just look at the pictures and play a little hide and seek. I ask Alexis where various items are and she continuously changes the subject and asks, "Where's George?" and then finds him for me. We can't turn the page until she has shown me George at least eleventy bazillion times.
The kid is obsessed with spotting George.
A few days ago, we made a run to Coldstone for a little Rocky Road Trip goodness and were sitting outside, inhaling the world's best ice cream as fast as we all could. Alexis, for once in her life, was actually eating her ice cream at a pace that somewhat resembled normalcy. She might have even managed to get five whole bites down before it all melted if it hadn't been for a minor interruption. A Dad and his three kids came plowing through the place. Except, one of the boys was channeling his inner rebel and decided to stop a few stores down and stare at the piles and piles of empty boxes. His Dad called his name over and over and over, and each and every time he did, the Toddler freaked out.
"George! Come here, George. Now, George."
Every time the Dad said, "George," the Toddler's head spun round and round and she looked high and low for her most recent book crush. And then George suddenly came running to his Dad and in that moment, reality smacked the Toddler upside the head and she realized there would not be a cute little monkey joining her for a little ice cream.
I can only hope the sight of little boys continues to be such an utter and complete disappointment for the Toddler.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Reader Comments (41)
Ah, the George spotting thing. Oliver has been obsessed with George for a long time. He has slept with a stuffed George for more than a year and a half. I thought we were mostly over George but there he was today, at Trader Joe's. Oliver kept pointing and saying, "GEORGE!!!!" and I thought he had lost his mind. Nope. Of course not. He spotted a tiny George, perched on a ledge high above the little manager's nook, behind the cereal. There was George, in a Hawaiian shirt, of course.
If only boys came with tails and fur covered bodies they'd be much more fascinating. At least in the toddler/elementary realm.
I LOVE Curious George. But not that much. I don't know how I'm going to deal with the "obsessions" stage of childhood...I get really sick of things, really quickly.
Alexis cracks me up. I love your stories about her :)
Oh. Poor little thing. Glad you don't live closer! And, over here, that is the Monkey.
That is too cute. I adore Curious George. So do both kids.
That picture is just too much. I want to just squeeze her!!
By George, that picture is fabulous!
Look at her . . . boys. Boys are icky and monkeys are good. Too bad it can't stay that way.
BTW, J is just now fixating on ELMO. I'm getting so sick of imitating his voice. I'm just grateful I don't have to sing the dinosaur song . . . yet.
oh yeah. no boys, alexis.
just monkeys. wait. that's wrong.
crud. how 'bout a penguin instead?
Good luck with the whole hoping boys will forever be less interesting than monkeys thing....
Let me know how that works for you. 'Cuz it didn't work at all when I tried hoping that girls would forever be less interesting than Ninja Turtles with the teenager!
My little boy's latest obsession is opening and closing the gate of our wooden fence. He had this knack of trying to figure out how he can use its lock which he'd later master. Toddlers are a mystery, they never cease to get tired of what they're hooked up with. Sometimes I have to force my son to sleep earlier 'cause he doesn't at 10:00pm! But forcing him would only make it worst.
It's refreshing for me to be able to read another Mommy blog. Your daughter is such an angel. :)
Ummm, yeah. On the boys thing. I'm sorry, but I don't think so. Just look at her...boys will definitely be a "problem" in your future. Again, just look at her! All that, and a sense of humor, too :)!
Sadly, my Kindergartener is already showing signs of being interested in "boys". It freaks me out. I just ignore it and hope it will all go away. Funny thing, she LOVES the show "Curious George" on PBS. I think it is pretty much her absolutely fav show. So, at 6, she loves monkeys AND boys...
Oooh, if you haven't already, you should try their Citrus Sunsation smoothie. I'm not a big fan of smoothies, but it's really good!
Who can blame her? We all love George over here. How can you not? Sassy little monkey.
So cute I just gained 10 pounds ;)
That is so cute. We go on character obsessions too. I get teh joy of listening to the same movies over and over again in the car to keep the bean happy and quiet.
Sumo has one of those Curious George books - it sucks ass. His is the counting to 100 one, though. I actually think I'm going to Goodwill it and make room for some better books.
Mine has three hand-me-down CG shirts that are worn on a rotating basis and he carries around the rattiest looking tiny George doll EVERYWHERE we go. I am always the one saying, "Where's George?" because I NEVER want to know what it would be like without him.
Aaron has moved from Fraggles, to Elmo, then to Diego and now he's kind of stuck on Backyardigans. Oh, I can't wait until the singing characters got out of style for him. Nothing is cooler than singing cartoon theme songs at work.
I now have to go and get ice cream.
Sure, monkeys are great now, but when she's 20, you'll be hoping she gets interested in boys so that she doesn't become that Gorillas in the Mist woman. I mean, would you really want to have to go visit Alexis in the jungle? You'd have to worry about malaria and really, really big worms named anacondas that can swallow you whole.
If you want really great ice cream in the 'burgh you should try Oh Yeah in shadyside (highland ave). It's got great great icecream and about a billion things to mix in. Ranging from the traditional to the truely bizarre (smoked salmon or squirrel meat anyone?)
Oh, that is beyond cute!!
FYI: The George phase is a long one. My nearly 6 year old STILL listens to me read the books. ;)
The cheeks on that child are absolutely pinchable!! Watch out Georges of the world 'cause here she comes!
I don't know - monkeys/boys - sometimes it is hard to tell the difference. I hope she continues to prefer monkeys - for awhile, at least.
hahha thats so funny that she likes to spot george whenever she goes places. Yeah it is a good thing she is dissapointed to see boys for now.
lol!
I'd love to read what you write when she's like, say...14 maybe?
My kids always found the man in the yellow hat to be a meanie--he did take George from a possible loving family ;)
I love Curious George but not sure if I could take it eleventy bazillion times. Too funny.
From the mother of a 14 year old daughter I wish you the best of luck with the whole disappointment in boys thing. ;o)
i still think boys are icky.
Does that mean she's over Dora?
Say map, say map!
I mean, say yes, say yes!
My kids are so deprived. No cable tv. Though they do have high speed internet and 3 computers. Plus the vav with a dvd player. Wait, maybe they are spoiled.
Several of my boys loved George when they were younger. Him and bob the builder. My 3 yr old now likes Dora, but only sees her on Nickjr.com or the few dvds we own.
I agree with the person who said boys are still icky!! hehe
That picture is too cute!
Reality sucks.
My team loves Curious George...they would have been looking right along with her!
We love Curious George because it is a sleepy time movie and sleepy time movies ROCK!! I HATE those word books. I always skip pages. I guess I do that with every story book. My kids never questioned the fact that the story really didn't flow. But they did learn to read at an early age...yippee for me!
Oh, the deception of it all. At least she changes her fixations from time to time.
We had Curious George toothpaste and when we ran out and it was replaced with something considered inferior, some certain child had a major meltdown "I WAAAAANNNA DA MOOOOOONNNNNNKKEEEEEEEYYYY TOOOOOOOOOOF-PASTE!!!!!!"
You should totally get her a Where's Waldo book! That would keep her entertained for hours! Making bedtime a whole new nightmare. hehe.
Too bad the monkey couldn't join you. That would have been so cool.
And I love that dress on Alexis! She's so adorable.