Popularity of Toys

Here comes Christmas, which means a few new toys for the kids.

I wonder how popular the items we picked this year will be. Apparently the magnetic tiles we got are played with every day by kids of bloggers everywhere. We got a gym mat from IKEA so the kids can wrassle and do somersaults. Their aunt got them another room of furniture for the dollhouse that the kids use as a parking garage half the time, but should enjoy anyway because the set has a toilet. The cars can sit on the potty. 

Whichever toys prove to be popular long-term, guaranteed they'll be a hit at the exact same time with both kids, escalating into an all-out "I have it first, I need this all to myself right now" brawl. Then left alone to gather dust until the next time one of them shows interest. No one wanted it ten minutes before, or ten minutes after, but in that moment, it's life-or-death. That's how it goes with any of the toys (or ice cream scoop, or magnifying glass, or the claw clips that both boys want to put on their wrists ASAP). 

Merry Christmas 2015, from me, Hubs and the Brobeans !

Walks

It's been awhile since I sat down to draw a cartoon. Since the move, my tablet's been in bubble wrap until now. 


One of the things I like about our new neighbourhood is all the walking and bike paths. I love walking and have always walked on my own or with company for exercise or pure enjoyment.


I also like taking the kids for walks, too. With kids, though, I don't know if I can really call them "walks". It's more moseying standing by that same section of curb or puddle or sewer drain forever. I can see the seasons change around me.


What's in that sewer drain, anyway? Well, first you have to yell "hello" in it, then note the water and whatever else is floating down there, then ask how you get down there, then try to fit a limb in there, then try to put leaves in it, then look at your leaves down there, then look for branches to stuff in... then after being discouraged from stuffing branches in the drain, we move on to shuffling sideways along the curb and finding small chunks of it that came off, many of which I'm asked to hold onto, and so on.


It's pretty cute for a while, conjuring up those memes about childhood and parenting that keep showing up in my newsfeed; you know, those ones with a stock photo of a kid blowing bubbles or dancing in a sunset with text that reminds you to savour these moments and let them be children because one day they'll be gone and you'll be a lonely sad sack of a human being.


Luckily for us, we're homeschooling this year (Big Bro is technically JK age), so we do have the time to savour and cherish and all that stuff. After a while, though, I don't know how else to marvel over an endless "fishing" expedition that involves sticks in a water-filled pothole.

They're having fun, at least. Being kids and such. As long as I stop expecting to get exercise or a change of scenery, it'll be fine. It's the journey anyway, right? Even if it's only to the next driveway. I think there was a meme about that, too.