Toddler OCD

The line on toddlers is that they crave routine. Apparently it gives them some sense of control over the big, confusing world. Or something. Knowing this, Tom and I developed a bedtime routine for Henry last year that works pretty well for all of us. That's about as far as we can take the whole "schedule" thing. I'm just not organized or motivated enough to work out a daily schedule, let alone live by it. Lately Henry's been picking up the slack by winnowing his routines and preferences down to an exclusive list of must-haves and must-dos that now form the core of his existence. All extraneous details have been edited out. It's like he's assumed the role of some ultra-trendy tastemaker who cannot bear to be around anything that isn't The Coolest Thing Ever. But stuff that is cool, he wants to be around all the time. To wit:

Music: If it's not The Wiggles, it's crap. Don't even turn it on.

TV: Bob The Builder--done. Mighty Machines--over. It's all about The Baybee. The only thing he'll watch is home videos from last year. They're charming the first few times. Not so much the 31st time. I never thought I'd miss Bob. But at least that show has a plot, and I don't get self-conscious watching it.

Books: Suddenly, "Goodnight Moon" is the only thing worth reading. We've had this book since before he was born, and before last week it wasn't a particular favourite. But that's because he never noticed the cozy fire burning in the little bunny's bedroom before. Fire, as we all know, is totally intoxicating. The discussion goes like this:
[Gasp. Point.]
"Do you see the fire burning in the fireplace?"
"Hot!"
"Yes, the fire is hot."
[Pause]
"BopPop?"
"Yes, I think Granpa made the fire."
[Pause]
"Jon?"
"Yes, Uncle Jon helped him."
[Gasp. Point. Repeat on each subsequent page that shows the fire burning in the fireplace].
That's the script, pretty much verbatim. And our bedtime routine includes three stories. For the last week, that's meant reading "Goodnight Moon" three times, and having the Gasp-hot-BopPop-Jon discussion for each page. It's pretty funny. Then Henry takes the book to bed with him. That crib of his is getting pretty crowded. Besides Puddles the Dog, Toop the Plow, and Goodnight Moon, he insists on bringing at least one other toy truck with him to bed, sometimes more, and sometimes a book about trucks as well. But once he's settled in with all his stuff, he'll sleep through the night. So we're happy to indulge him.

Yes, toddlers are funny little creatures. And fun, too.