Toys, oh boy!

For a while we were concerned Max didn't like toys. There's all this talk about kids' favorite toys and he didn't seem to prefer anything over anything else. As far as preference is concerned, the only thing that held his attention and made him super-happy was this thing that played music and lit up. We were not sure if music qualified as a toy, though.

All the confusion was solved when he met his noisy frog. Elizabeth, a friend and former colleague, gave Max a frog that ribbits when you bang it. He loves it. He lights up when he sees it. It was the first thing I remember seeing him try to reach for on a regular basis.

This week he's added another toy to what I'd consider his favorite list. Cousin Kent gave him a dragonfly. It's wings crinkle at the touch, and if you pull the handle on its tail, it plays Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Well, guess who figured out how to pull the handle this week? It's often tied to his play mat so that he can grab or kick at it overhead. However, we've noticed he starting to cuddle it, too. So sweet.

Our friend Joey gave him a soft froggie called a Tadbit. Garrett calls it the roadkill frog because it's like a stuffed animal--without the stuffing. But it's oh-so-soft. Max alternates between caressing his face with it and gnawing on it.

Lastly, he likes books! I probably tried reading to him when he was too young, because he wouldn't join in the fun for very long. This week, however, he's totally up for a good reading of a book Alison gave us: Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? Before Max, I had no clue as to why this book was such a hit. Reading it with Max explains everything. He giggles and laughs whenever we make the noises. He especially likes cock a doodle doo. Oh yeah, life doesn't get much better.

So, if you're looking for gifts for little ones, these are ones to consider. They're Max approved.