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Merry's Milestone  by Dreamflower 8 Review(s)
Celeste Lucretia BlackReviewed Chapter: 1 on 5/14/2021
Awww!

6336Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 5/16/2011
Ah, the old 5 days and $50.00 method of toilet training! The child has to be old enough to understand what is going on though!
Lynda

GryffinjackReviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/11/2005
Merry did indeed do *very* good. It is a sad state of things when the bright spot for Frodo at Brandy Hall is a soiled chamber pot. That's simplifying things, I know, since his real joy was his little Merry-lad and getting away from that dreaded tea. I've been there to train my three year old niece whens he came to live with me and know how gratifying it can be when a little one finally get masters the use of the potty. It was one of the happiest moments of my life. lol!

Seriously, how wonderful to see the strength and closeness of Frodo and Merry's relationship, even at such young ages. Merry is absolutely adorable here and it is easy to see how Frodo would cling to him as his lifeline as he struggles to deal with the death of his parents.

Author Reply: It's amazing, isn't it, the things that doting parents and relations can find to take pride in? And really, I like the idea that Frodo was the catalyst for many of Merry's milestone moments. His first word, his first steps, all for Frodo. I do not believe he *loved* Frodo more than his parents, but he instinctively knew Frodo *needed* him more all the way back to his earliest infancy.

My own idea is that in the relationships between the four hobbits, Merry is a linchpin: his connection to Frodo goes back to his own infancy, and to Pippin it goes back to Pip's infancy--he's kind of the hinge that holds those two together, not that they do not have strong love of their own for one another, but I do not believe that they would have spent the *time* together without Merry in the middle; as for Sam, Sam had a love for Bilbo, and for Frodo when he came, but it was *Merry*--closer to him in age and temperament--who drew him into the Conspiracy. I do not believe that without Merry's encouragement, Sam would have been able to throw off the Gaffer's teachings and spy on his Master, however much he loved him. Really, without *Merry* the whole Quest might have come to naught from the beginning.

And I have to thank you for all these lovely reviews! They have really brightened up my day today!!

SharonBReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/22/2004
LOL, Merry was so cute. And how like a little one just learning to potty. He knoew how to rescue Frodo even at an eary age. ;-) Frodo really did seem to live for his Merry at that age, didn't he? And isn't it just like Bilbo to be the only understanding adult for Frodo.

This was a cute little story.

Author Reply: There is something irresistable about wee!hobbits, isn't there? LOL!

Actually as fluffy and funny as this story was, you have hit on one of my favorite more serious themes--Merry did rescue Frodo even in his very earliest days, from the grief he was nearly swallowed up in, and yes, I do think that at that point in time, Merry was all he was living for.

But anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing! I'm glad you liked it.

good_one_pipReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/22/2004
Adorable! It's nice to have a young Frodo-Merry story. I know how hard it is to potty train little ones, as I have little twin sisters. Frodo handled it quite well! It's nice to see that he had such happy times with his extended family in spite of childhood trauma.

Author Reply: I think his times with little Merry were probably the main bright spots of his life during this period. Merry rescued him from Aunt Dora, and he also rescued him from depression.

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/22/2004
What an accomplishment! I hope it's one of which he was not reminded too frequently in later years! (And at least it rescued Frodo from Aunt Dora.)

Author Reply: Oh, I can imagine it came up from time to time--like at Frodo's last birthday party before they left for Crickhollow, *grin*

SlightlyTookishReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/22/2004
Oh, but this was hilarious! Not what I expected Merr'ys "milestone" to be when read the title :) I actually toilet-trained one of my cousins, and thankfully she was a quick learner! Lovely to see what an influence Frodo had on Merry :)

Author Reply: Glad I could give you a chuckle. Merry's accomplishments had to start somewhere, didn't they? Just goes to show that Merry would do *anything* for Frodo. 8-D

GamgeeFestReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/21/2004
That was adorable! Little Merry is so cute, showing off for his Fwo. And Saradoc's reaction - as well as Dora's - was priceless. That is a very good method for toilet training also.

Author Reply: Little Merry is always going to want to impress Frodo--it started early, didn't it?
The toilet training method is one that I have been fascinated by since hearing of it. Child expert John Rosemund is the one who mentions it in his newspaper articles, and I have heard a few mothers who swear by it.
I was lucky in a way. My son was nearly two when we adopted him, so (as my husband said) he was already "housebroken". *grin*

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