November 17, 2007

Hiking, Shopping, Toe-may-toe, Toe-mah-toe

It’s Take A Hike Day and I decided to get out of the house. Doug has agreed to man the battle station and care for Dawson so that I can get away without dragging a whiny three-year-old with me.

My mom is picking me up in just a few hours to go to a “Home Party” party. It’s one of those things where a bunch of vendors like Party Lite, Pampered Chef and Tastefully Simple (among others), get together in one facility to sell product and book shows. Or something. I’ll let you know how it goes. I’m just going for the sake of going. Somewhere. Childless. Yay me!

I know, I should really go for a walk and work off some of the pre-winter flab, but it’s freakin’ cold outside!

Happy Weekend!

**Updated - I ended up bringing Dawson with us. He saw Nonna’s car pull into the driveway and threw the mother of all tantrums. To shut him up, he came along. He was surprisingly well-behaved. I’m sort of wondering if my son has been replaced with a pod toddler!

November 14, 2007

Toy Story

It’s mid-November and the Christmas crap is all over the internet, television and inside my Saturday paper. I think the holiday flyers began mailing in October right before Halloween. Walmart, Target, JC Penney and Fleet Farm have each sent their toy novels guides in the mail.

I haven’t even thought about what to get Dawson for Christmas, but he already knows what he wants thanks to the never ending commercials advertising the latest Nickelodeon toy sets. I can only imagine how many have been “Made in China”.

Thanksgiving is next week, yet I refuse to acknowledge the fact that millions of bargain-crazy people will camp out at Target at 3 a.m., awaiting the latest and greatest techno gadget. iPods, plasma televisions, Playstations and Nintendo Wii, all on sale for “Unbelievably Low Prices!”

I have to laugh. Three years from now, these gadgets will be obsolete when the newer and better replacements come out.

Last night we were watching Dancing With the Stars and a Target commercial was on. It featured a Christmas theme with presents and Santa Claus. Suddenly Dawson piped up, “Santa’s coming, Mumma. He bringing Dawson presents!”

A year ago Dawson was scared to death of the man in the red suit. Every “Ho! Ho! Ho!” made him cry. He wanted nothing to do with visiting Santa at the mall last Christmas. While other children sat on the jolly man’s lap, telling him what they wanted under their trees, Dawson was glued to my leg eying Santa cautiously.

I don’t think this year will be any different. I’m positive Dawson will reject a visit to the Claus because he’s still very shy.

I do know the toys I buy for Dawson will be different this year. As I was cleaning both his bedroom and his playroom, I noticed that 95% of his toys are plastic, either from Fisher-Price or Playskool and most of them he doesn’t even play with. I’m tired of the endless supply of Little People scattered across the floor.

Dawson is infatuated with all things CARS, but I’m sick of looking at five colorful variations of Ramone and Lightning McQueen. Dora and Diego our out of the question. It’s just another collection of toys to find a place for — next to every Thomas the Tank Engine and Bob the Builder toy he already owns. Don’t even get me started on SpongeBob SquarePants. I’ll cry. Really I will.

This year, I’m trying something different thanks to the moms of Cool Mom Picks. Kristen and Liz came up with the Safer Toy Guide and I’m happy to learn than every one of the featured toys is unleaded and doesn’t require batteries. I never thought I would grow to hate those adorable, plastic, noisy toys currently stored in Rubbermaid totes. But I’ve learned that bright and flashy isn’t always better.

Simple wooden toys our parents played with have become more appealing, maybe because a dose of aspirin won’t be needed to keep me content while Dawson plays with them.

Besides, I’m positive Grandma, Grandpa and Auntie Rachel have noisy toys in store. I’m saving my money for something better.

What are you buying your kids for Christmas?

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Today is Operation Room Nurse Day!