I can't live... if living is without you...

As I've always said, having a toddler is like living with Rain Man: Wapner is on at 4:30. And if it's not on, hold onto your hat.

We've had moments like this throughout Molly's life: this isn't the right kind of applesauce... I brush my hair and then I brush my teeth... I read stories and then get pats... where's Taylor on American Idol?... this isn't how my teacher makes pumpkin seeds... and on and on and on.

But now that she's at the ripe old age of 4-1/2, we figured she's mostly past that.

Oh, were we wrong.

We decided to replace Aaron's Jeep Cherokee -- the one he's had since 2001 (the year Jeep quit making Jeep Cherokees, which he's still mad about). So it's the only Daddy car Molly's ever known. (Red flag?) Molly went with us to test drive the Ford Escapes. We made the deal and were planning to go back the next day to swap the Jeep for the Escape. Molly seemed like she was having a good time... until we pulled in the driveway at home.

"Where will the Escape go, Mommy?"

"In the garage."

"But where will the Jeep go?"

"Well, we're trading the Jeep for the Escape, honey."

(Long, silent pause.......) "But... but I don't want to trade the Jeep."

The next two hours were filled with cries and pleas of "Don't sell the Jeep" and "I don't want to trade the Jeep" and (my personal favorite) "I can't live without the Jeep!" until she finally sobbed herself to sleep.

That night in bed, Aaron asked, "What are we going to do?" I replied, "Go get the new car." (Yeah, they call me Tough Love Mommy.)

The next day, Molly woke up and the first words out of her mouth were: "I'm sad...."

(Don't take the bait... don't take the bait.)

But Daddy took the bait. "Why are you sad, Molly?"

"Because I miss the Jeep already!"

Luckily, I remembered a key nugget and pulled it from my Mommy Bag 'O Tricks:

"Molly - remember last year when David Cook won American Idol? He got a Ford Escape, just like we're getting. So we have the same car as David Cook!"

"Mommy, can you call him and tell him that?"

Yes, Molly - just as soon as I find his number.