Thinking During Playtime

So a while back, actually quite a while back, my good friends Gypsy and Suzanne came to visit and brought Devon some goodies. One of the things they got her was a solid art book. It looked fun, but somehow it got lost in her craft chest and I found it in the back a few days ago. Basically it is a kit to make a little Hello Kitty town by popping out the pieces and gluing them together and then you get to play with the little people in the town. It's way cute.

So yesterday during Matthew's nap we sat down at the kitchen table to put it together. Devon had a blast. It was perfect for a four year old. She could pop out the pieces on her and and fold them (for the most part, sometimes she needed a little help with the complex pieces) and glue them. It turned out much cuter than I originally thought. She loves playing with the little Hello Kitty people. It was such a cool thing to do together. It was like a model car kit, but cooler.

I was looking at the back and of course it was made in Japan. Why can't we make intelligent toys for our kids here! I love how she in essence had to earn her toy by working to put it together. Gypsy if you read this where did you find that?? We have one other one left that I'm saving for when this one becomes boring (which doesn't seem to be anytime soon). It's a little different than a town, but still looks fun.

Going Overboard

One of my hometown best friends had her first baby this week. I was so lucky to actually be in Mesquite when it happened. Talk about a cutie-pie! It was awesome to be able to see baby Oliver on the day he was born and to see Becky and Robert with all too familiar expressions on their faces that say, "Thank God the delivery is over. Now what?" I mean it was only a little over four years ago that Chris and I had the same expressions on our faces.

Now before I was pregnant, and even while I was pregnant with Devon I had no idea I would be overcome with the craving for knowledge about everything there is to know about babies.I have a shelf of books on parenting and babies. I feel like I have had almost every breastfeeding problem. Devon had a mild case of colic. We have survived off of one income the whole time, even while I was going to school. I feel like I have this vast store of parental knowledge and anytime I get the opportunity to use it, I go overboard. I don't mean to. And I never realise it until it is too late. I just start firing away everything about breastfeeding and what this and that means. It's frustrating and not to mention embarrassing.

I just love to talk about babies, kids and parenting. I can only hope that it is a good thing, as long as I can control myself. It's funny to think about the fact that I would have never pictured my life the way it is now at age 25. I know there are people out there from back in high school who hear I have kids and think the world is doomed. If only they knew me now....