Hyrum vs. Fiction

Hyrum - who can now call himself 'Hy-um' or 'Hum' - is becoming enamored with his first fictional characters. Since you can't tell the umps from the players without a program, here's the major cast of characters contending for his attention and first billing on the "Mommy, I've gotta have it or I'll die" circuit in order of appearance:



Kitty! Hyrum likes cats too and they're the first animals he can imitate, but he's also fascinated with Sullivan/Kitty from Monsters, Inc. Joy notes that it's really a love/hate relationship. He will specifically ask to wear his Kitty sweater, but then he is afraid of it when we put it on him. He points to it, then backs away, but he just can't leave it alone. He doesn't have the clearest 't' yet, but we know when he's asking for "Ki-y."





Buzz Lightyear! For Thanksgiving I put on a Disney shirt that features a lot of the major characters. Hyrum was instantly entranced by one small space toy on the bottom. He pointed at Buzz and Dada said, "To infinity! and beyond!" Hyrum pointed again ... and again ... and again. Worried that he was becoming a broken record, Da put on Toy Story 2 which enthralled Hy as no movie has before or since. Hy also loved the closing song (upbeat version of You've Got a Friend in Me) and asked to hear it a dozen times. This morning, he said "Buzz."





Bob the Builder! We got a DVD for Hy at the Trumanburg Fair back in August, showed him the video, and he wasn't really interested. Then he watched it yesterday (picked it over Fantasia 2000) and this morning was more interested in "Bob" than in his scripture video, something no one else has managed. Yesterday he and Mom also played with blocks together and Mom apparently kept saying "Build" to him, so she wonders if that has anything to do with it.


He's also seen Lion King and Sword in the Stone a couple times and has asked for Jungle Book, but something in it really scares him and he asks for it to be shut off agian. He watched Cars, but doesn't seem to have connected with a character yet.

If his connection with these characters is any indication of who he is modeling, I'm pretty pleased. They're all confident people who go forward with their jobs and try to follow their conscience. They're dependable, if a bit single-minded. Kitty is sensitive, soft, protective, and loyal. Buzz is loyal, brave, and learns not to be full of himself. Bob I don't know too well, but he's soft-spoken, helpful, and courteous. Not bad qualities to let a toddler try to imitate.