Bucket O' Treasures

Lucia has taken to carrying around a bucket o’ treasures now whenever we leave the house. She always takes a stuffed animal or two, and she always has her bucket in the stroller, but filling the bucket prior to leaving home is new. It started Monday, when I went to a stoop sale and bought her a few trinkets—two tiny star-shaped slinkies, a tiny rubber duck. For the rest of that day she wouldn’t go anywhere without them, and what better way to carry them than in her “bubbick”? They are never far from her at home, either. Yesterday, her bucket collection grew to include her beloved (and, of course, tiny) cat figurine, Elmo, a beanbag monkey, and her favorite stuffed cat. Despite my diligence, when we reached the playground, I realized Elmo was nowhere to be found. I grabbed Lucia and began retracing our steps. At the end of the block I encountered another mom, who held Elmo up questioningly. He’d been found.

Today Lucia walked the entire way from our apartment to Prospect Park, which is nearly one full mile. She carried her bucket the whole time, today filled with her treasured three stuffed peas and their peapod. Of course, the peas occasionally hopped out and rolled down the sidewalk. I can’t forbid her from taking her treasures along…but it would be nice if we could keep track of, say, one treasure per walk. A goal to pursue.