How Many Stuffed Animals Does a Girl Need???

Taylor has become completely infatuated with stuffed animals. She has about 6 horses, 4 unicorns, a whale, a Dalmatian, and countless teddy bears of different sized and colors--all of which have a name and apparently feelings that get hurt very, very easily. Her new thing is to carry her "friends" with her everywhere. This actually is not such a new thing--she has been doing this for about a year and a half, but until recently, she only needed to carry one at a time. Just within the past couple weeks, she has started bringing these things everywhere! To the grocery store, church, daycare, the lake...everywhere! It wouldn't be so bad, except everywhere I turn, there is a stuffed animal...in my car, under her pillows, in Dylan's laundry hamper(???), etc, etc. You get the point. Anyway, for the last couple weeks, I have actually had to allot extra time when we go somewhere to allow her to round up all her precious friends, get them in the car, and manage to get her buckled in among of the sea of stuffed horses.

"Mommy, be careful of Sadie!"
"Oh, sorry" as I move a purple unicorn out of the way of the buckle.
"THAT'S NOT SADIE, MOMMY...THAT'S PRINCESS!"
"Oh, sorry, Sadie" (to the yellow bear)
"Mom (a little annoyed)...don't you remember who Sadie is???"
Me thinking, "Ummmm, nooooo. I can't keep all these damn things straight!"
Me saying, "Hmmm, well, I guess I forgot. Why don't you help me remember?"
"Duh, mom...she's the pink unicorn. Remember the one that I got when I was a baby?!?!"

Hmmm. My bad.

That was yesterday.

Today, I was running a little late. So, as I was trying to throw my lunch together, while brushing Dylan's teeth and buckling him up, pack up my computer, find the textbook that I fell asleep reading last night, and find my car keys and cell phone. So, when Taylor said for the third time, "Oh, Mommy, just a second, I forgot so-and-so" you can imagine how happy I was! So, on the way to daycare, I made a new family rule that only one animal could come along at a time.

You would have thought that I broke both of her ankles and made her run a mile. She wailed all the way to daycare. For a split second, I felt bad...until I opened the door to get her out and had to pick up the purple unicorn that fell out of the car. "See!!! I should not have to wade through stuffed animals to get you out of the car!" She just looked at me like I was the devil. She wouldn't give me a kiss goodbye either.

What a mean Mommy.

Dylan just sat in his seat and didn't say anything the whole way to daycare. It's like an unwritten rule between them that only one of them can throw a fit at a time--thank God!

There used to be a time that I said , "Stuffed animals are silly toys--kids don't even play with them." Not anymore. We can't seem to get enough in our house. Go figure.