New Best Friends

Over the past few weeks, everyone in our household has received a bonk, bruise, or scrape from Emma's Tickle Me Elmo. She insists on dragging him everywhere. Of course she would want to snuggle with a machine instead of something soft and cuddly. She keeps dropping him on her toes which are now cut and bruised, but her love is all encompassing and she takes her lumps. Well, we've all had enough lumps, so tonight I found a plush Elmo. It really was sweet to watch her expression as I pushed her down the toy isle. It's always so much for her to take in, and her eyes never stay in one place for long. As she was taking in all of the billions of toys (because there are billions, and billions), I quickly found the Elmo section and made a bee line for it. As she calculated our destination, her face lit up like a glowworm. There were two other parents in the isle, and we all started to laugh. It is amazing how the simple pure pleasure of a child radiates through all who witness it. She kissed him instantly and then hugged him all the way to the register. Well, Emma wouldn't let go in order to allow the cashier to scan Elmo. The cute lady started singing the Elmo's World theme song from Sesame Street. She was so sweet to Emma and finally was able to scan him. We got home and Emma immediately introduced the Elmos to each other. Then she put Tickle Me Elmo to "bed", which entailed Emma covering him with a blanket. Hopefully this will be a less painful love for all of us to endure!