Up Close and Personal

The other day Josh called me a big ol grump...or grouch...or something equally tacky.  The story went something like this (I may have use my creative liberties in re-telling this story):

Joseph was talking to us about picking out a toy for Alaina's first birthday.  I had just told our party attendees that Alaina's shelves are stocked full of toys, but we would love to add to her library.  Good idea, right?!  I'm pretty over all these toys, but my children and husband love all the blinking, boinging, rock 'em-sock 'em-bop 'em, toy madness.  Aside from having toys under foot and everywhere, I've just always leaned towards letting their imaginations be their entertainment.  Give a kid a few stuffed animals and handful of Lego bricks and Hot Wheels and let them go to town.   

Did I just hear you sigh and call me a grump too?

We were in Kohls and Josh decided to let Joseph pick out a toy to give Alaina as a gift from him for her birthday.  As you can imagine, this was a covert operation while I was away in the women's department.   

When I found them looking at toys I felt my anxiety level skyrocket.  Then in his excited 'frolicking puppy dog' way, Joseph squealed that he had found something for Alaina.  I tried to act excited but frankly, I would have rather gone to Toys R Us and had a much better selection and chance of finding a toy she could really use.

'Could really use??' Did I just kinda sorta admit that the idea of going to Toys R Us would be a little fun?  Perhaps on occasion, yes.  I will admit it.   

So as I shifted uncomfortably and wavered in my submission to Josh and Joseph's pick, Josh got pretty irritated with me.  He mummered that I was taking the fun out of everything and look how excited Joseph was....!

I say BAH HUMBUG!  That stinker!  Putting my first born flesh and blood against me!  The nerve!  "But the cardboard boxes!" I yell back.  " And the kitchen utensils!  Spatulas!  They LOVE spatulas!  Give them a cabinet full of Tupperware and they'll play for HOURS, man!"

In the end, we walked out with some stupid vacuum cleaner that sings and dances and lights up and creates more noise pollution for my children's tender imaginations and less space for my family in our home.  *sigh*  

But don't worry about me....

   

...as soon as we got back home, I accidentally left the Tupperware cabinet wide open with a few shiny bowls sitting within reach.   Oh those smiles were all the reassurance I needed.

Gotta stick it to The Man.