August 23, 2007

Arch Enemy

Meet Piggy:

I don't know if you're familiar with this toy, but Hattie HATES it - the toy we have named Piggy. I bought it for her about 3 or 4 months ago because she fell in love with the cow version while we were having a playdate at a friend's house; it was a pretty cheap toy, and I was excited to find something that she would play with for more than 2 seconds at a time. When we went to the store, they didn't have the cow, so I opted for the pig. No big deal, right?!?! Still the same toy, right?!?! WRONG.

Piggy spends his day hidden behind the couch. Hattie knows Piggy's hiding place. She won't go behind the couch for anything, even if the ball that she's so happily playing with rolls back there - neh eh - that ball is staying behind the couch unless I go back there and get it for her.

Several times a day while we're downstairs, she'll stop whatever she's doing, look at me, then look towards the couch, wrinkle her brow , and say "Piggy!" I kid you not. Sometimes I'll say, "Where's Piggy?" This always causes her to break into nervous whining. Sometimes I'll go get Piggy from his hiding place (the mean mama that I am), and she always begins to cry. It's so weird. I do this only to try and rid her of the fear she has for him. I have kissed Piggy, hugged Piggy, read a book to Piggy. Hattie keeps her distance and watches us with caution. She is NOT going to befriend that pig.

I don't understand her fear, but I think I'll use it to my advantage; afterall, it was ten bucks I wasted otherwise.

You see, Hattie loves to pull books off the bookshelf in our living room. We have tried to baracade it, tell her "no!" and push the books back so it's harder for her to get to them. Nothing works. I find myself spending much of my time putting books back on the shelf. It's really annoying.

I thought I would just have to remove all of the books for now until she gets over her interest of pulling books down, but then today I got a brillant idea . . . . I think Piggy needs a new hiding place!


It's working, too. The books have miraculously stayed on the shelf all morning. But then I started to worry: Will she develop a fear of books now? We don't want that.

I don't know. I guess Piggy will go back behind the couch, and we'll just have bare shelves for a while. We might use him in the future, though. You know, in the liquor cabinet, on top of a pack of cigarettes, in a boy's car..... oh yeah, this toy was totally worth the ten bucks I spent!

3 comments:

Missy said...

Ok, you're evil!! Exploiting your daughter's fears for your own personal gain. I hope that the 529 therapy fund can be transferred to cousins!!

Actually I think this is a good sign. Remember the pig in the Amityville Horror that the little girl - named Missy, by the way - WASN'T afraid of and should have been? Your child is free from demonic interference.

Unknown said...

i think that is hilarious! i was laughing out loud when I read it... i mean who whould have thought that she would be so afraid of a little pink pig? this will be a great memory and thankfully one she won't remember! :)

The Jasters said...

I think I might have to use this tactic with the infamous duck. (I took it out yesterday just to see his reaction. . .yup- still not a fan!:o)

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“The inalienable dignity of every human being and the rights which flow from that dignity - in the first place the right to life and the defense of life - are at the heart of the church's message." Pope John Paul ended his address, saying: "In spite of divisions among Christians, 'all those justified by faith through baptism are incorporated into Christ...brothers and sisters in the Lord.'" Pope John Paul 2