A Toddler's Obsession???

Yes, you read the title correctly. James does have an obsession... and it's not the kind you'd think an almost-2-year-old would have. Let's play a game. You ask, and I'll answer. Okay, here we go:

Is it Thomas the train? No. He actually doesn't even know about Thomas yet.

Trucks? No, although he does love his new firetruck from Uncle Stephen and Aunt Jamie. Thanks guys... it was great the rest of our trip! =o)

Cars? No, but he does really love that movie!

Bugs? No, but he did just start saying that word (along with about fifty other words... I can't keep up anymore because now he just repeats what we say!)

What could it possibly be, you ask? The washer. Yes, you read correctly! The washer, which he calls the "dodder"! Keep reading, this is a good one...

One day at least a couple months ago now my mom was watching James while I was subbing and this obesssion was born. (At least, I think that's when it started. I do know it started at my parents' house!) Whenever James goes over to his grandparents' houses (whether it be the Cochranes or the Mooses) they like to teach him about all kinds of things, which we think is great. (James has two really awesome sets of grandparents!)


So, anyway, that day, he wanted to know what she was doing. "See? See?!?," he said raising his arms up to her. He wanted to see what was going on from her perspective. So, she picked him up and started educating him about the art of doing laundry. Since then, he has been all about the "dodder" no matter where we are. Our house, our parents' houses, our friends' houses. He sees me get the laundry basket out and start sorting clothes and he knows what's coming. He gets so excited! And, he really wants to help; if I don't take him out there with me, he gets so upset! Actually, even when I would take him out there at first, when it would be time to come back in the apartment after going out to put the laundry in, a huge frown would cover his face and his eyes would well up with tears when we'd come back in. He just wanted to stay out there the entire time the washer was going, I guess . He now realizes we go back out there several times so I think that makes it easier to part with it. Anyway, I know a picture is worth a thousand words, so let me show you how he helps put it in the washer...



and then helps Grandpa take it out of the washer...


And, when I'm doing laundry, I have to drag a chair out to the laundry room so he can help. He just gets SO excited! He even does a little dance when our washer starts (since it starts with the lid up and he can see what it's doing when it's "agitating." So, my little laundry helper created a little dance I like to call "The Washer." (Haha... The name reminds me of Heather doing "The Sprinkler" in college! Man, those were the days...) If I can ever get the video to post, I'll show you the latest dance craze performed by my little man: The Washer!

(As a side note: If any of you other bloggers know how I can post a 30 second video on here without going through YouTube, please let me know! I've tried several times and it just keeps timing out or something. It's quite frustrating!)

Oh, and James also calls the dishwasher a "dodder" but he definitely doesn't get as excited about it as he does the clothes washer and no dancing on that one.

The obsession has just grown and grown and each time he goes over to my parents' house, my dad (aka Mr. Laundry) teaches him some new word or aspect of the laundry. He knows that we need water (gaga), soap, softener (which he also calls soap), and that when it starts it makes bubbles. Don't worry...he reminds you to add the soap and softener... just in case you might forget. Well, at my parents' house, Mr. Laundry has rigged it so the washer empties into their big sink in the laundry room rather than going into the septic tank. Needless to say, when the water comes rushing into the sink, there are lots of bubbles and that means tons of excitement when James is present! He also knows that the gaga and bubbles go down the dean (drain) and through the pipe and out to the side of the house, thanks to my dad. He knows the whole system and all those new words!

For a while there, I think he was even dreaming of the washer because each morning the very first words out of his mouth would be "dodder" and "bubble." Also, when we go to my parents' house, the first word out of his mouth when he realizes where we are is usually "dodder." This might be because he can't say "grandma" or "grandpa" yet. Maybe that will be what he decides to call them! =o)