Take a short journey with a relatively new mama and her nearly 2 year old child.
Last year at Christmas time, Sydney ate the wrapping paper and wanted nothing to do with the carefully selected and developmentally appropriate toys under the tree. I will confess this left me a little confused and disappointed, but with the help of sinfully delicious Christmas fudge, I was able to handle my sadness.
So, with last Christmas in mind, we dialed back the number of gifts and had realistic expectations of how things would unfold on Christmas morning. Please keep in mind that there have been no REAL children at Christmas time in my family for at least 15+ years, so Sydney's presence makes everything just a tad sparkly for us.
My mom and dad bought her a slide and a stuffed frog. Great Grandma bought her building blocks. Chris and I purchased the tot-sized Cozy Coupe (which if I remember correctly has shrunk over the years) and a big girl kitchen. Uncle Rick came through with kitchen foods and accessories. Top those items off with a coloring book and baby doll, and that was Syd's Christmas loot. We left it at that...nothing too terribly overwhelming.
But here is where we made a mistake...a tragic mistake.
We put everything out...
With little children, it is best to not put all the toys out around the tree first thing in the morning. Take it slow. Start with the small, boring, wrapped gifts and progressively work your way up to the mammer jammer ones. If you start out with the fab-o-luscious ones, everything else is completely ignored.
For her, it was the CAR.
"You mean, I won!?"
It was just like she was on the Price is Right Showcase Showdown and Bob Barker (I just can't wrap my mind around Drew Carey, so pardon me) had just awarded her the grand showcase and she had dashed up to the stage to claim her red convertible. Nothing in the entire universe was able to peel her out of that thing. She jumped in that puppy like Luke & Bo Duke and it was over with, honey. OVER with...no other gift could get her attention. She got in the car. She got out of the car. She got in the car. She got out of the car. She patted the car. She talked to the car. To her, Christmas was the CAR.
"Go ahead...take me out of this car...make my DAY."
Chris had to take the car out of the room just to get her to look at the play kitchen. The play kitchen that was a labor of love...2 hours of bolts, screws, hinges, and graphic directions. (I shall post about this later.)
Sydney's Dream Kitchen set up in her room.
"Yes, my mother is soooo lame."
"Yes, Gigi, teach me your cooking secrets. Mom apparently did catch on to them."
"I guess I better get off this phone and get back to cookin."
Sydney sporting her annual new Christmas Eve PJ'.s
This year, since she is fascinated with "happies" (puppy dogs),
it only seemed fitting that she have one on her jammies.
So, our lesson for this year was a classic mantra...
"Save the Best for Last" -or- "Cars are a Girls' Best Friend" -or- "First Time Parents Are Wack Jobs"
Take your pick.
2 comments:
Oh, how I do love it! Chris had to take the car out of the room...I can just see it! And in that one pic she does look like she is hanging onto both of the doors and saying, "Go ahead make my day!"
I know, Sharon..it was madness! She is one car-driving fool.
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