Having a daughter, I knew it was only a matter of time before the first obsession reared its head. Little did I know how soon that first obsession would appear, nor did I think the first real name Sophia learned wouldn’t be any of her aunts or uncles names, or even the dog’s name. Nope, the first obsession and the first name she learned are one in the same. Sophia’s obsession, thy name be ELMO!

Elmo– Sophia’s first obsession

Now, really, as a parent I knew this day was going to come. I knew it would happen SOME day, but when Sophia hit 19-months? Yeah, no. I left work Friday evening, having no idea what I was in store for upon my arrival to my in-law’s house. Not long after I get to the house, Sarah puts Sesame Street on the TV for Sophia to watch (yeah, yeah, no TV for children under 2, I get it). What happened next absolutely blew my mind. And by blew my mind, I mean I had a flash forward to Sophia’s teenage years when she becomes obsessed with her generation’s Justin Bieber. I can try to describe the shrieks and shrills and screams of “ELMOOOOO!!!!” that came shooting out of Sophia’s mouth, but I’d rather just show you.

Now, any time Sophia sees Elmo, she immediately yells his name and gets insanely excited. And, now that she knows Elmo shows up on TV, she points to the TV when we come home and says “Elmo??” So, of course, I put Sesame Street on for her to sit and watch. Which, I guess is a little bit better than having her scream and yell until I pick her up, and put her down, and pick her up, and put her down.

The kicker in all of this is that Elmo is the first name she actually learned. And she learned it so quickly and recognized who Elmo was, what his name is, and that she loves him. Now, if only I can teach her to react the exact same way she does for Elmo, anytime I walk into a room, I’ll be good!

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