Playtime

When we were talking about having kids, or even before that really, when we'd go to people's houses who had evidence of their small offspring's belongings all over their once pristine adult homes, I'd say to myself "no child of mine is going to have so many toys!"

I don't know what I thought he would play with.  Even when we were pregnant and registering for things, I didn't want to register for toys (aka junk).  Lewis put any and all toys that ended up on the registery in front of the scanner.

Now the toys have mutliplied.  We started off with one basket.  Then it overflowed.  And then I really started pushing books, and I needed a place for those.  Then he needed safe places to pull up and I ended up with the music table and the wooden play box.  I can say that I have capped what he can have.  I've bought the customary toys (sorting box, alphabet blocks, alphabet magnets) that I want to try to use to teach him things.  And then I've  bought the things that he really enjoys playing with.  Cars.  Anything with wheels.  And I've taken hand me downs.  I do buy a new (or used) book about once a month.  Because seriously I can't read the same ones night after night and the library books for this age group are gross and give me the willies.

He does love his books.  It does my heart good to see him go find a book and walk around the house with it, or bring it to me and try and climb into my lap.  As a book lover, this is one of the key things I want to pass on to him.  Reading is a great gift and opens all sorts of doors.  Makes school easier and it's just so important.

This play corner that we've sectioned off for him is marvelous.  And it's worked out great.  He can drag stuff out (and he does) and it's a trial later on because than I have to walk around the house and bring it all back. every. single. day.  But, I like seeing him engaged and trying to figure stuff out.  Putting things in boxes or stacking his cups or bringing books for me to read.

Another big hit - Baby Einstein flash cards.  They have different ones out there - we got the mirror play ones at the used book store.  He loves them.  Fulfills a couple of kid likes: dumping lots of things out and making a mess, mirrors to make funny faces into, cards with bright pictures, and stiff paper to chew on.  Win.

He says "Mommy, the doggy is silly."  Mavvy had just walked up and sniffed at him, then he looked up at me.