L. (2) is obsessed with letters. He likes alphabet puzzles, ABC books, and the CD: Here Come the ABCs. He is constantly asking me how things are spelled. And one of his very favorite activities is sitting at the computer “making letters.”
My friend, Jennifer, sent him an alphabet book recently. His response, as soon as he saw the book? “Oh Mommy, I LOVE this!”
The kid even sleeps with letters. He has a foam letter set (made for bathtub fun) that lives in his crib.
I’m telling you: it’s an obsession.
Being a book-and-word-lover myself, I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad obsession, but our trip to the grocery store this morning drove home just how much of an obsession it is.
I usually try to get to the grocery store by myself, when Chad is home to watch the kids. My reasons?
- Peace and quiet.
- L. tends to “help” put items on the conveyor belt. His “help” usually involves launching items at the cashier’s head.
- More room in the cart when there are no kids in the cart.
- No one asking for extra items.
- Did I mention the peace and quiet?
But today, I just needed to make a quick trip to pick up some essentials for our upcoming weekend, so L. and I decided to have a joint grocery store adventure.
Things started off calmly. L. was very excited that I offered to buy blueberries and he asked to hold the carton. He offered his advice on which fruit cups I should get.
But then came the frozen foods aisle.
“Mommy! Mommy!” he screamed at the top of his lungs. “Look! A-B-C Snacks! A-B-C Snacks!”
Indeed. He had spied these:
Colorful letters, and tater-tots no less. What more could a kid ask for? And because I am a pushover the nicest mom ever, I told him we could get some, thinking that would surely scratch his alphabet itch for the day. Not surprisingly, he had to hold the packge, despite the risk of frostbite cold fingers. The blueberries were tossed into the main basket of the cart and we moved on.
Yet we’d barely gone another two aisles before we passed a gi-normous display of these:
“Mommy! Look! Alphabet crackers!”
Clearly, these companies are on to us. Perhaps when I think L. is just “making letters” on the computer, he’s actually writing to marketing excutives, assuring them that he can talk his mom into buying anything that has an alphabet tie-in. And those execs are responding by making ABC-themed everything.
Yes, that box came home with us too. But that’s it. I didn’t buy anything else featuring the alphabet. Honest.
Now, since neither of these items has a tremendous amount of nutritional value, I’ll have to help L. eat them slowly ration them out to him.
However, he still can’t deny that he definitely hit the grocery store jackpot today.
I hit the jackpot too, by the way. Though my personal treasure has nothing to do with the ABC’s. Well, I guess the letter C comes into play. As in chocolate. And B is there too.
But the most relevant letter: Mmmmmm.
Ooo so very fun. Sammy is totally into letters as well.. we found some letter pretzels at the farmers market and he loved them! I like the last item the best
My son was very excited to see the Scrabble Cheez-Its, too. He brought them as a rpeschool snack.
preschool.
proofread. heh.
I have not seen those Cheez-Its, but Kyle also likes letters, and since I’ve been indulging in the Monterey Jack Cheez-Its (mmmmm), he won’t even eat Goldfish anymore. I’m going to look for those.
As you know, Kyle pretty much taught himself to read at 4, so I think that’s in the cards for you as well.
Though I dearly love tater tots and Cheez-Its (LOVE the duos) I’m thinking your jackpot is definitely, you know, the JACKPOT.
ROFL – Can you take me shopping next time you go?! I won’t beg and plead, I’ll be really good and you can reward ME with Reese’s peanut butter cups.
L. can have the tater tots and the crackers. I’ll take your jackpot! :v)
Love those cheese its! I hope our store has them!
I have a thing with Bliss I had to write a post about it one time. so. very. yummy.
I loved reading this post. How fun for your son to find letter foods. I think I’ll get some of those for my grandkids. What fun. Maybe even pick up some C, B and M food for me!
So funny.
I’m drooling over the “Bliss” most of all, though.
Happy alphabet snacking!
This post cracked me up. I guess there are worse things to be into than letters, right?
Oh, dear. My 2.5-year-old is also obsessed with letters lately…and I have to take her to the grocery store with me today. We’re not planning on coming home with ABC stuff, but I guess we’ll see.
Well, I think having a “thing” for letters is absolutely wonderful, so this is too cute
I had never noticed those products before! So glad you had L. there to HELP you find them 
P.S. I’m with you on the chocolate though, that’s much better than the tater tots and cheese its!
I love your story, made me laugh out loud….thanks for sharing, and have a great weekend!
Loved your grocery store adventure! I’m thinking you two guys could combine your obsessions and try making letters with melted chocolate!
L…. He is funny. Thank you for the comment too!
Jess
I saw the ABC Cheez Its at Wal Mart today and thought of yall.
Have you ever been to this website. It is so cool. You click on a letter and it changes into an animal using the letters.
http://www.bemboszoo.com/Bembo.swf
I love this. Thank you for the laughs.
Thanks for making me laugh out loud and I’m glad I just found your blog! Very nice
I read this post a couple of days ago but didn’t comment. However, I was at Walmart today and saw some alphabet gummies – and I couldn’t resist coming back to pass along that info. *g*