Obsession

Who knew that at age 6 months, you could develop an obsession? For Ava, it is a "tag". Not a Dog Tag, skin tag, or the children's game "Tag! You're it!", an HTML tag, Facebook tag, Gillette's TAG body spray, or TAG the expensive watch. Whoever knew there would be so many 'tags'? (try googling it!). No, Ava likes tags, like what manufacturers put on their products with information about where it was made, the product number, how to clean it. And she reads them like she is studying it for an exam.

So I started taking pictures. Keep in mind that NONE of these pictures are staged. I would simply put Ava down with a few toys, walk away to do something, peek at her a few moments later wondering why she is so quiet, only to find her "reading" and observing the tag, for which I would go grab my camera.

For example, she would rather play with the tag in the playgym than the toys you hang on to it. AND she found another tag on the bottom/side of the mat.

And if you are going to spend time reading, why not read the tag too? Note that these are 2 different books. (When she is older, do you think she'll read the editor's notes and reference material in the back of books?)

(I have to add that Peter now calls Ava's hand's "Vienna Sausage Fingers")

Look closely -- you can see the tag on the pumpkin and the tag on the edge of the pink blanket (which she was chewing on before I went to get the camera). It is a bit hard to see because she has been sucking on it and the letters have faded..

Also, there have been countless times she's either moved on from the tag once I got the camera OR I just stopped taking pictures bc there were just too many (to see more "tag" shots, check out the pictures in the "Ava @ 28-32" album).

So, 2 additional things that make this story more interesting.

First, this is apparently a common liking in the baby community. And of course there are retailers that have found a way to turn profit by adding many tags to blankets, balls, dolls, books, etc. (check out taggie.com). I would entertain purchasing a product, but dont really care to spend $30 on an ugly product that Ava will play with for a short time. Peter, of course thinks otherwise for his little angel.

Secondly, I don't think we should get the Taggie products because... I am a recovering tag addict myself. I was addicted for about 4 or 6 years. Yes, here is my teddy bear (which was really a mouse).

And, here is the tag. I actually sucked my thumb and hooked a finger thru the loop and rubbed my fingers against it because I thought it was soft (I actually remember thinking I liked how soft it was). The tag's print is gone and it is shredding. My mother made the mistake once of cutting the tag off and throwing it away, only to dig it out of the trash, wash it, and sew it back on that night.