The Dude and I share the unfortunate circumstance of being born in December. I've discovered that for most people figuring out two things to get us is just too taxing in such a short (and admittedly already overshopped) season. Most luckily for me, I married someone that loves excuses to shower me with expensive frivolities, and laments that there aren't more occasions.
Since the Dude is really too young to come up with his own list... Scratch that. He probably would be perfectly able to have a list if he were more commercially savvy. Since we don't own a TV, he doesn't think he needs tons of stuff. Understand correctly: he always likes more new stuff (his favorite of the moment is almost invariably the most recent acquisition), he just doesn't have a list of things that he's been dreaming of because some marketer knew how to appeal to three-year-old boys.
Advantages: I choose the mayhem that enters my house. I don't have to harden my heart against his pleading Bambi eyes.
Disadvantages: I have to divine which things he will like. This is harder than you might think. I worry about becoming one of those parents that gets what I want to get him instead of what he really wants.
Lately, I've taken to letting him loose in the toy department and seeing what he gravitates toward. Unfortunately, it is usually something loud that eats batteries at the same rate I devour dark chocolate. Or it only comes in pink (make-believe irons, anyone?)
So I sent off a list yesterday to all concerned. And already I've thought of some things that he'd greet ecstatically come present-opening time. That I forgot.
Oh, well.
There's always next year.
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