E is for Easter, Ethan and Elmo?

I'm not exactly a huge fan of childhood characters. Don't get me wrong, I definitely qualify as immature when it comes to my love of cartoons and "kid" movies (at least the good ones.) However, I can't stand the syrupy, commercialized cartoon characters plastered on every kid product from diapers to baby yogurt. I also don't like to put my kid in "character"clothes. I just don't. I like the basics. Lately, however, in a quest to build my child's language skills and attention span (and to give mom and dad a break from climbing furniture, tormenting the dogs and throwing everything but what he's supposed to), we have Tivoed "Sesame Street" so that Ethan can have some quiet time. It has worked. He sits still for more than five minutes as Elmo rides his bike around talking to the same Gordon and Maria I watched 25 (maybe even 30) years ago. So, I have to admit, when he looked at his Elmo and Cookie Monster laden diapers and said ecstatically "MoMo" and "Cookie" it made my heart melt.


I really wasn't going to do anything for Easter, because he doesn't really get these things yet. He wants to throw Easter eggs, not hunt them, and God forbid he should get his hands on a bunny. Guilt (or Patti B. at my work) got to me and I decided he might enjoy an Elmo egg like the Ernie and Bert my dad made me when I was little. It was one of the most memorable things my dad did for me. I loved my Ernie and Bert eggs that he blew out and decorated. They were in my Easter basket every year. So hopefully Elmo can be in Ethan's. That is, if we can keep him from throwing it.