Wednesday, January 30, 2008

The Model H

When Mrs. Beth, the parts lady at Smith Tractor, Atmore's John Deere dealer, heard about Owen refusing to ride in the red International tractor, she told Jason to bring that boy in, she had something for him!

Owen has been inundated by the John Deere brand name, thanks to the All About John Deere DVD series, of which he owns #1 and #4. This is a well-produced, slickly-packaged, initially-appealing-to-adults-because-of-the-educational-quality, good-old-fashioned-learn-about-tractor video series that you should only purchase if you have a serious death wish. That's my parental warning. Owen watched his tractor videos all the way up to Indiana and all the way back. And when he got sick a while ago, he watched them over and over for more than a week. That's when I got the John Deere song permanently lodged in my brain, would wake up in the middle of the night to pee, and start singing, "John Deere made a better plow!"

Now he thinks he will die if he doesn't get to watch one at least once a day. It's one of the first things he asks for in the morning, of course following the usual, "Wake up mommy! Beep beep! Beep beep! (alarm clock simulation) Mommy, make oatmeal! Get up, mommy! Pulls covers off Mommy. Mommy, make pancakes!" We trot and/or stumble to the kitchen, and as soon as we pass the living room, "Mommy, tractor video?!!"
When he is granted viewing permission, he finds his John Deere tractor-driver-thingie, and nestles in to watch with great satisfaction.

So Owen's daddy proudly marched him into Smith Tractor, and Mrs. Beth presented him with his pick of toy tractor. Owen's daddy chose the Model H.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

We have one of those videos too, and they drive me crazy too!!! Jack went through a phase of wanting to watch them over and over. While educational they are highly annoying! I agree.

Thanks now I have that song in my head!

Anonymous said...

"take the dozers to dodge city, the excavators to evansville. . . ." Gotta love John Deere #4 :). Jan

Cindy said...

Hope you don't mind me finding you through Heather's blog. I love reading your latest Funky Clothespin on your clothesline. You are a gifted writer. But I have to ask (hope the Mennonite game is OK via blogs) ... when my daughter, Alli was in Kdg at CCS, she freaked out on hot lunch day, so some wonderful kind "Joyce" would eat with her in a classroom. Was that you? Just a hunch. If so, you are also Ida's grandaughter. And just so you know, I love that lady! Her & I had a set breakfast at Village Inn every Monday last winter. So if this is not the Joyce I'm thinking it is, I'm sorry. But if you are her ... thanks for your care for my daughter. She is now a soph in college.

And keep posting ... you have a way of bringing smiles to many people.

Anonymous said...

what is it w/ boys and their tractors!? my son doesn't come from a line of crop farmers at all and it is his fav toy. =+)

Carrie said...

That sounds like a video Gabe would LOVE. I might have to check into that one. Sign me up for some insanity, too, please.

Cottonista said...

Cindy, I'm pretty sure that was me, although I do not remember that incident! Thanks for saying hi!