You've Got a Friend in Me

I was always one of those judgmental people who couldn't understand why people let their young kids watch TV. Then I became a parent and quickly changed my tune, as TV became a good distraction for M when I was out of entertaining ideas. She watches a bit in the morning when my husband is feeding her breakfast, and one episode of something with her before-bed milk. Well, that was until I introduced her to Toy Story 3. 

About a month ago, on a cold rainy day, when we had already gone through our list of indoor activities (twice) I plopped her down on the couch with me and put in the Toy Story 3 DVD (I debated whether or not to start on 1 & 2 first, because she would want the backstory right? :). About one minute in she was introduced to Sheriff Woody...and he quickly became the love of her life. Whenever he was in danger, or in a toy-related predicament, M would place her hands on her cheeks and say "oh no wuudeeee!"

Multiple times she climbed off the couch, scooted over to the tv and stared up at the screen and said "mama mama, wuudeee, mama, oh no wuudeee!" And the first time we watched it she sat through almost the entire thing. The next day we walk in the living room and she looks up at me and says "wuudee?" and we haven't watched much of else since. 

I have the movie on my iPad, on my iPhone, on my computer...and we have watched it multiple times on all three, in addition to the television. She will go around the house saying "Wuudeee? Wuudee?" and I will have to find some sort of electronic device for her to see her boyfriend on. 

My mom thinks it is so cute that she even bought her a true to life Woody doll (as in the same size as the one in the movies - 16 inches). She screamed with joy when she got it home, but as soon as it came out of the box she was terrified of it, and now it sits perched on a shelf in her playroom. She knows it is there and admires it from afar by giving it a "hi wuudee!" when we are doing our laps around the house. We also have Woody wipes and all sorts of Woody books that she reads over and over and over. 

When she is upset, I can just say "Do you want to go see Woody?" and she is all smiles and "OK!"

I remember hearing stories from friends about their kids watching the move Cars ten times a day. I thought that was insanity! My kid will never watch the same move over and over! And here we are, with Toy Story 3 on repeat.

I haven't come to the point where I am annoyed by it just yet (so close though) as it is such a fabulous movie. The last 20 minutes make me cry every time I watch it, even though I know exactly what is to come for the fabulous cast of plastic characters. It, and the other 2 Toy Story movies, have made me take better care of toys in general (because I know they come alive when I am not looking)...and led me to ask the pooch what hijinks the toys get up to on a nightly basis. So far she has no report for me. 

Do your kids have a movie or TV show they like to watch over and over and over and over?