Elmo = Toddler Crack

When Lucas was a little baby we took the "No TV until age 2" recommendation VERY seriously. If the TV happened to be on in the same room, we didn't even let Lucas face the set. Overall, this was pretty easy to accomplish as we (read: Abel) were renovating our basement family room from Lucas age 8mos to Lucas age 17 mos (yes, it took as long to renovate the basement as it did to build a baby! But credit has to go where credit is due. Abel did it all by himself and the finished product is amazing!). This left the only TV in the house in the guest room which made a great breastfeeding area and not so great area to play or get-anything-done-other-than-catch-up-on-soaps,-Ellen and-Oprah.

Yes, I will admit, that I did get pretty close to Ellen and Oprah and did know all the minute details about Brooke and Ridge on "Bold and the Beautiful" during those early months. But when Lucas became more alert and mobile, the guest room just didn't cut it anymore. So, the no TV thing was pretty easy to accomplish.

Now that our basement family room (have I mentioned how awesome it is?) is finished and houses our computer, TV and a wonderful play area for Lucas, we spend a lot more time around a TV. We've watched some episodes of Thomas the Train, Bob the Builder and other miscellaneous cartoons. But, Sesame Street is my favorite (and least brain-numbing) so that is my go-to program.

I'm not kidding, after watching about 3 episodes, Lucas has become completely addicted. He stands at the basement door and begs to go downstairs. When he gets down there, he grabs the remote and starts to cry out "Elmo Eh elll mooow" in the most heart-wrenchingly pathetic tone.

How did this happen?

How did he get so addicted? And so quickly?

Does Elmo's high-pitched voice have secret tones only toddlers can hear?

Seriously.

I think someone should come in and do a study of Lucas's behavior when it comes to Elmo. As I now know, Elmo comes on at minute 40 of Sesame Street. For those first 40 minutes Lucas wanders in and out of interest in the show. But I swear, before the end of the first "la" he has run over and planted himself directly in front of the TV. Then he stands or sits completely hypnotized for the next 20 minutes.

This is the boy who does not stop moving all day! This is the boy who wakes up and starts jumping and running around his crib. This is the boy who must shovel all his food into his mouth in 5 minutes or less because he can not stand sitting still in his highchair no matter how hungry he is.

Then Elmo and 20 minutes of not moving a muscle other than to point, giggle or bop.

Now, how do we go about bottling this?