December 20th, 2005 - Maggie’s toys
On Sunday, we rearranged the living room. We’ve had Maggie’s toys in a little cardboard box that fit nicely between the rocker and the chair. The chair’s in another room, and Maggie likes to chew on the cardboard, so it’s time for a new box. We couldn’t think of anything we owned that would work. (Well, a yellow plastic milk crate would work just fine. Except that the dog’s toybox is one. And Emma seems to have some confusion over which toys are hers and which are the baby’s. So we’re afraid to use an identical box for both sets of toys. Maggie might not have any toys left the next morning!) Then I saw our lone laundry basket (which we don’t use for laundry, it’s just stored in Maggie’s room). Perfect!
I swapped out most of the toys that had been downstairs and gathered up ones she hasn’t seen in a while. After more than half-filling the rather large laundry basket I realized, to my dismay, that she has far too many toys! When I told Eric, he disagreed. Until he learned that the toys down in her new toybox were 25-33% of what she has! I apparently have not been good at recycling older toys when new ones arrive (like on her birthday or when she gets old enough for something else that was around). I’m itching to go through her toys NOW, but we’ve decided to wait until after Christmas. I’m certain, even though I said she didn’t need any (except books and a soft doll, and even those aren’t *needs*, that she will get toys for Christmas. It will be easier to do one large going-through that one now and one in a week.
The hardest part for me? I LOVE blocks. I’ve bought at least 7 sets for her, plus some TinkerToys and Lincoln Logs. The sets include plain wooden blocks, colored wooden blocks, plastic letter blocks (each block is a letter, about 2.5″ “square”; very cool), wooden alphabet blocks, small architectural blocks (includes painted on doors and windows, rooflines, arches, columns)…. I think it harkens back to childhood: my brother owned a set of blocks. I was always welcome to play with them, but I always knew they were HIS. And I wanted my own. I really loved playing with the blocks. So when I started collecting toys a few years ago at garage sales, I bought all the block sets I found. I didn’t realize until last summer when I was organizing things just how many I had! I filled up one paper box with the wooden blocks and gave the rest of the wooden ones away (except the architecture set). I really like the alphabet and letter blocks so didn’t pass them on. But it’s time. The letter blocks are going to go, since they are plastic.
December 20th, 2005 at 4:18 pm EST
The blocks were mine? I left them at Mom & Dad’s becuase I thought they were OURS.
Hunh.
:::sigh:::
Also — she ALREADY HAS ALPHABET BLOCKS?!??? I’ve been waiting until she was older to get her a set. @#%(*!&$(*!&*!!!! I’M THE ONE WHO’S SUPPOSED TO GET HER ALPHABET BLOCKS!!!! ME!!! THE UNCLE!!!!
December 20th, 2005 at 4:19 pm EST
:::sigh:::
December 20th, 2005 at 4:20 pm EST
Plastic Letter blocks?
Oh.
Nevermind.
(ugh. plastic letter blocks. the mind reels…)
December 21st, 2005 at 3:59 am EST
Hang on to those Lincoln Logs and Tinkertoys! My son is just now getting to the ideal age for those (around 4 years old) even though I’ve had them in his room since age 2. Many toys are better put up and tried again at a different developmental age–if you have the storage room, that is.