Elmo

Riley has a confession to make: he is absolutely obsessed with Elmo.

I like to think that it is somehow related to the obsession with Elmo that my late grandmother (Grandma Joan - my dad's mom) developed during her terminal battle with cancer. I vividly remember one year at Christmastime: she wanted nothing else but the "Tickle Me Elmo" that was on every child's wish list and was virtually impossible to get. But my dad had connections - one of his best friends (Henry) was a store manager at Toys 'R Us at the time - and he managed to score a Tickle Me Elmo and gave it to my grandma at Christmas. It has been many, many years since that Christmas, but I can still remember how delighted she was, how she hugged and hugged him and screamed "Elmo", how she got tears in her eyes (right along with the rest of us). I don't know what it was about Elmo, but it brought her such joy.

And now Riley is equally obsessed. If he sees Elmo or hears Elmo, he will say "Melmo" and his face lights up. Before Riley was even born, my parents gave him a baby Elmo with a pacifier that sings a song ("Guess who lives on Sesame Street, guess who is a monster, guess who has two red furry feet, that's right it's Elmo!" - couldn't forget those lyrics if I tried) and says "Elmo wants to sleepy now". He loves that baby Elmo. When he started being interested in Casey and me using the bathroom, we got him an Elmo potty. He has Elmo spoons, Elmo forks, Elmo books. Like I said, obsessed.

Most recently, he has discovered that Elmo also lives on our computer and on my iPhone. Every time he sees the computer or the phone, he will point and say "Melmo". This means that he would like to listen to (or if he's been good, watch) the video of "Elmo's Song" where Elmo is playing his new song for Big Bird and Mr. Snufalufagus (sp???) and then let's them borrow it to create "Big Bird's Song" and "Snuffy's Song". Once the lyrics start, Riley will start dancing. It is adorable.

Now, sometimes, at completely random time you will hear him say, "La la la la" and a little while later, "Melmo". It is quite obvious that he's singing. I really need to get this on video...