The “Real Hammer”

EJ came home from Ethiopia at 7 months old. Up until then, he really had not seen many toys and never had something of his own to attach to. His first toy was a blue butterfly teether that we gave him that first day in Ethiopia. He was amazed by it and for months he really loved his teether. He would hold on to it and look for it but he never really “attached” to it.

We had tons of cute animals, small blankets and lovies. We tried them all; giving them to him one at a time to see if he would discover that one favorite item. Some he tossed aside immediately, others he would play with for a week or two. We would start to think that he had finally chosen only to have him toss it aside and move onto something else. I began to think that he would never really have a comfort item and for some reason this upset me.

So two years later, he has stuffed animals and blankets that he likes but nothing that he absolutely has to have at all times or in order to sleep. That is until the hammer…

A few months ago, EJ began his obsession with Bob the Builder and all things tool related. We bought him a tool bench and a tool box with tools and he was in heaven. From day one, he loved his “real hammer” (it was larger than the baby little tikes hammer he had so he called it real!). He hammers the tool bench with it, brings it in the car, eats with it and even sleeps with it. If it goes missing for more than a minute I hear him screaming, “Mommy! Where is my real hammer??” He is obsessed. He tries to take it to school, into stores and even in the bathroom during potty training. If his cousin or a friend comes over and even eyes it for a second, he is quick to place it out of reach.

I am amazed. I had no idea that a two year old could attach to a hammer. I am not sure why I assumed that the item had to be cute and cuddly, but I was thrown by the fact that it was a hammer. And it is not just a passing phase; this has been months of loving this hammer. If only I had realized months ago that maybe soft and cuddly wasn’t his thing. Loud and destructive clearly is!

-Lauren
Lauren Jordan is a part-time stay at home mom.  She has been married for 7 years and is the mom of a very energetic, hilarious 2 year boy!  She hopes to some day get a full night of sleep.