Finally, Some Girl Toys

While I’m not overly concerned with gender-specific toys, my poor daughter has only had Seth hand-me-downs to play with. While I’m fine with Lael playing with dump trucks, cars and trains, it also is clear that Lael wants to play with hairbrushes, makeup and clothes.

How can we be sure? Oh, there are clues – such as my little girl raiding my wife’s purse for lip pencils and then smearing them all over her face. As we become more proficient hiding Anne’s purse, Lael resorts to using ink pens on her face, which ARE NOT EASY TO GET OFF. At least Lael never got her hands on one of the Sharpie’s we have all over the apartment.

Another clue that Lael wants girl toys? Well, she runs anything through her hair: A brush, comb, book, cheese and then poses with a smile that says, “Look at how beautiful I am.” That HAS to be a genetic trait because she certainly has not seen it on TV.

The good news is that Lael received a few girl toys while we were in Connecticut. The pictured stroller and doll – part of a twin set – are one of her favorites. Seth named the dolls Cutie and Handsome, but I don’t know which is which. As you can see from the second picture, Lael is still learning the proper care and feeding of her babies.

More importantly than gender-specific toys: Lael finally has toys that belong to her, including a castle and My First Dora’s Farm Adventure Ride-On.

The only problem – other than the annoying sounds these toys make – has been beating Seth off Lael’s toys before he breaks them. Sadly, Seth decided to use a tambourine as a drive-thru tunnel for one of his cars.

Since the person who gave us that present reads this site, let me say in advance, “Sorry!” We made Seth give Lael one of his treasured cars to Lael, but somehow I think the lesson was mostly lost on him and her.

Sigh.