Otis the Builder

Otis has never really had an obsessive attachment to anything (other than me, and his dummy, of course). No blanky, no preferred stuffed toy, no special outfit. A few times I tried to push various toys and encourage him to develop an attachment... I was thinking if he fell in love with Simon his knitted lion, for instance, then maybe he wouldn't scream out for me upon waking for even a split second, or wouldn't need to pull on my now very dry and sore elbow skin whilst falling asleep.

That's all changed! He is now officially in a relationship with the $4 tool kit Phil and I bought him for Christmas. It goes everywhere with him, and has been added to, gradually. It came with a power drill (the most favoured of the tools, due to its battery operation), a hammer, pliers, a spanner, and a wrench. We added a second hammer, and a tape measure. Sometimes it also contains a dummy (surely Bob the Builder doen't leave home without his?), a mobile phone (a display model that flips open, much loved by O) and a plastic knife (he loves "cutting"... things, but sometimes also his sister).

The actual tool kit is bright yellow and clips together, like an old-school lunch box, and has a name label that he likes to spell out for us ("Name! O-T-S!").

And, as it appears, my dream came true... Once he developed an attachment to an inanimate object, he stopped pulling at my elbow whilst falling asleep. I don't know that the two are connected though. He's just becoming more independant by the day. He plays alone for lengthy periods, with imaginary characters, dealing with a host of dramas that would put Summer Bay to shame. He fights monsters, fires, cooks meals, swims, drives, writes letters and posts them. He needs me less. And wouldn't you know it? Just putting this out there, "on paper", has me shedding a few quiet tears.

Today he and Phil have gone on what I imagine will be the first of many boy's trips away. They left this morning, and have gone down to Canberra for a night. Phil wanted to see an exhibition at the Gallery, and he's decided to also throw in a visit to the dinosaur museum and a trip to the movies. They really don't need me!!