Christmas plans

I am all about getting my shopping D-O-N-E. Last year, all but two gifts were bought before Thanksgiving....which led to a stress-free, wonderful, laid back month of December with family and friends. I'm purposefully on the track to repeat that this year, as well.

Ken and I spent two days in Columbia this week, and I was able to get a jumpstart on my shopping. One of my favorite kid shops down there was Creative Kids, and I went through there like a mad woman, list in hand.

Kids' toys are so great. I have always loved them....as a kid (duh), and then as a young adult as I worked in a specialty toy and clothing shop (and LOVED every minute of it). Then, you have your own child....and oh, the toy horizon is expanded one hundred-fold. Suddenly, "boring" toys like wooden puzzles seem like the world's greatest inventions. Loud, obnoxious, siren trucks and clickety-clack trains are suddenly the "cutest little thing you ever did see." Researching for educational toy choices gets my blood going. It's really starting to scare me, how much I get into this.

Ken and I are discussing how we will trim down our list for Gardner to just two or three things. It is part of our efforts to downplay gift-giving at Christmas and focus on the true meaning.

Still, there's something magical about seeing his face light up when he sees a stage set for Santa at the mall....or when he sees running lights on an artificial tree. I want Gardner to enjoy every aspect of this season. I want him to do and see things I fondly remember from my own childhood. That's one of the coolest parts of being a parent, I think.


In other news, we took him to the zoo for the first time yesterday. See photos here.

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