She's met her match!

Natalie has developed an insatiable need to be talked to. Not by other humans, mind you, but instead by inanimate objects that she feels compelled to have a conversation with. She'll bring me a toy and say, "I want this fill in the blank to tawk." There's no request, there's no "please", there are no niceties of any kind, just an order that whatever she's holding must now converse with her. Now, you might think this means she's anxious to find out what her dolls or stuffed animals have on their minds...I wish it were that predictable. But the speechless items don't necessarily have mouths, or faces for that matter. She's asked me to "talk" for my flip flops, her fork, her food, my hand, the remote control, her hair bows, the shampoo bottle and scribbles on post-it notes...just to name a few. If I ignore the first demand, she asks again. If I ignore the second demand, she then just starts talking to the chosen item so I feel way to guilty to keep ignoring her and begin to talk for the object of the hour. I know ignoring her initial "requests" sounds harsh but this happens one hundred times per day!!! And even I have my talking limit!

But tonight, Natalie met her match. She has an Elmo Live but the batteries had ceased to power the crazy little creature, so he no longer sang or danced or told stories. I'm not one to rush to refill batteries in loud little toys so he sat still and silent collecting dust for a couple of months. Well, I decided it was time that Elmo became aLive again to help me out. One trip to the grocery store for double As, a little Elmo surgery, and I sat back as Natalie talked to a toy that actually talked back...on it's own. It was beautiful!

But the problem with Elmo Live is he doesn't really ever STOP talking so Natalie kept trying to interject... "scooze me, Elmo"..."but, Elmo...I..."..."STOP TAWKING, Elmo!"..."Mommy, Elmo won't stop tawking. I want to talk now!" I had to laugh. I know that sounds a little wicked, but only to those of you who are not currently living with a talkative tot. Elmo's batteries will never go unreplaced again.