Stickers, Stickers, Everywhere, and Not a One That Sticks!

Both Ian and Laurel are taking antibiotics. One has a sinus infection, and the other has an ear infection. Laurel doesn't mind taking her medicine. In fact, she gets very upset when she sees me giving Ian his dose and thinks she's not getting her fair share. She stomps towards us, arms frantically moving up and down like a gorilla, loudly complaining in short vowel tones the entire time.

Big brother, on the other hand, puts up a fight. Having three of us sick, and becoming tired myself, I cave and bribe Ian with stickers. For Christmas, he received a wonderful gift that is a combination coloring book and stickers galore (700 to be exact!). Better yet, the subject matter is that of Thomas the Tank Engine, which is one of Ian's all-time favorite characters. Once Ian realized he was to earn two stickers for taking his medicine, the task became a lot easier. I need only state, "Ian, medicine and stickers," and he'll come dashing into the kitchen.

Now it's eight days later, and by my calculations, he has a collection of about 32 stickers. He tries sticking them to his bed, bookshelves, the refrigerator, couches, tables, and himself. Fortunately, the adhesive doesn't actually stick to any material for very long. Unfortunately, Ian won't let us throw away his stickers. He has this growing mass of stickers he lovingly picks apart to look at each individual figure.


Being a toddler, Ian is easily side tracked by other toys. Stickers are left everywhere throughout the house. Laurel delightfully stumbles across them and immediately chews them like gum. Upon walking onto a cold, wet mass that must have been spat out by Laurel, I realize I need to gather Ian's stickers together and keep them out of sight until requested by their owner. I search high and low, under and between, outside and inside objects, and only find about twenty stickers. Hmmm, either Ian is a better hider than I thought, or Laurel's on a new diet.

I'm changing Laurel's diaper. Off go her pants, one sock off, second sock off, what do I discover? A sticker stuck to the bottom of her sock. Same night, I'm getting into my pajamas. I reach down to take a sock off, and of course discover a sticker stuck to the bottom of it. In my earlier search, I didn't think to check the obvious objects that would be the most in contact with the floor. I find a couple more stickers on the bottoms of shoes, and in Ian's bed. I'm getting closer to the 32ish count, knowing when I least expect it, another one will pop out at me, like in Laurel's poop.

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Three for the Price of One:

A train book both Ian and I agree is superb, is Chugga Chugga Choo Choo by Kevin Lewis. Bold pictures and its lyrical tale about a boy playing with his train set and toys, make this a fun read for everyone. It pulls you right in with: "Sun's up! Morning's here. Up and at 'em, engineer!" Like the turning wheels of a train, the rhythm continues throughout the book, to the point you're bobbing your head to the beat. The pictures are engaging and lead to many discussions about the busy toys loading/unloading the train and the sights the train passes by. The ending makes for a good lead to put your little one to sleep: "To the roundhouse you are bound. Good night engine, safe and sound." Ian can not get enough of this book, neither can I.


In honor of the above anecdote, I will post about two books on Ian's behalf. If your child loves Thomas the Tank Engine, he/she will probably enjoy A Crack in the Track and Go, Train, Go! I myself, put up with them only because Ian loves them so much. The wording in both books tries to rhyme, and occasionally succeeds. The story line in A Crack in the Track (the better of the two in my opinion) revolves around how things come to a halt when a crack in the track stops all the trains from running. The track gets fixed and things return to normal. Go, Train, Go!, has Thomas transporting a judge to a train show, in which they run across some obstacles that might make them late.