James' Favorite Things

A few weeks ago, Ben and I bought James a toy.

This is a rather unusual thing.

Because James has so many doting family members, it has not been necessary for us to purchase much of anything for this boy - clothes, shoes, toys. Even our neighbors have passed along clothes and toys.

So when we were out one day and James happened upon a display of various vehicles and accompanying animals/people/etc, I took no small delight in noting how interested he was in them. Ben was in a different part of the store, so I promised James that we would go find Daddy and bring him back to see what he thought about getting one.

James & I wound our way back to Ben. I gave Ben some quick details. Then we asked James to take us back to the display so we could show Daddy.

Instantly our toddler headed straight back to the toy of his dreams. With one tiny detour, he found it.

We set one of each of the four combinations in front of James. He went back to the same one time and again, never wavering from his original choice.

We picked up that box and told him, "We're taking this one home with us, Son." His excitement spread through his whole body. After strapping him into his stroller, we placed the long box in front of him. He sat proudly holding onto his treasure.

Ben and I stood for a moment enjoying our son's pleasure. Tears sprang to my eyes as I felt the pleasure of God in blessing our son and tasted a sip of His joy in delighting us.

Ever since, from the moment James wakes up each morning until the time we put him in his crib at night, our Diddle is either talking about or playing with his "guck" - a truck and horse trailer - that he fills with his various animals.

He lines them up and fits them all in, making the animals sounds as he goes.

Sometimes, he pulls Ben or me down to play with him.

Sometimes he gets frustrated when the animals fall over. (He's learning to ask for help.)

Sometimes he asks to play with his "guck" at the table after breakfast, or to take it in the car with us, or to have it come with him to the potty.

When he heads upstairs to bed at night, wherever he is (whether he can see the truck or not), he starts waving and saying, "guh-gye guck" as we promise that for sure his truck will be here when he wakes up.