Obsessions

I tease my parents that they have created "monsters" with P. His biggest obsession is with Thomas the Train, which started when my parents sent him a "Get Well" Thomas video. Since then he's become obsessed. When he finished breakfast every morning he asks to watch "Train". After his afternoon nap he asks for the same. He knows the trains better than I do and is always teaching me their names! (I kind of zone out when Thomas comes on.) Relatives lavish him with Thomas memorabilia and he uses it all.
His two new obsessions are llamas and golf balls. Not together mind you but two new obsessions none-the-less. The llama obsession started when I took him by the llamas in the neighborhood one day. My parents, or rather my mom, thought it'd be fun to send him a stuffed llama and the book "Llama Llama Red Pajama". That book was followed by "Llama Llama Misses Mama". Both books have become favorites and he insists on sleeping with his llama every night. He also asks to see the neighborhood llamas whenever we're coming home. He'll shout out "Mama Llama" or "Mama Mama"! Either one means he wants to see the llamas. I don't have a problem driving by them but it breaks my heart when he starts crying huge alligator tears when I tell him it's time to say good-bye to the llamas. He'll be in his carseat, crying, saying "More please", "Mama Llama". A few times I've been known to give in and take him back by the llamas just to see his ear to ear grin again.
Rob took up golf last month. Since we don't have houses too close behind ours, Rob will hit golf balls to practice his swing. P loves to collect the balls and put them in his bucket. He then proceeds to proudly walk around with the bucket on his arm. Heaven forbid if Ruby or Holly gets one of the golf balls! He screams "Drop!" and chases after the dog until whoever it is drops the ball. Yesterday he wanted to bring the balls and bucket into the house and this morning that was the first thing he grabbed upon waking up.
I'm encouraging all the obsessions despite how much one...or all...of them get on my nerves because who knows where it'll lead some day? He could be a vet or a PGA champion or a conductor. He's smart enough to do it all in my opinion!