Why do we buy toys?

I can't even tell how many times I have said this.

Hundreds of dollars worth of toys in our playroom. And what do our kids play with? Anything but.

Pots and pans, pens and paper, paper cups and straws . . . or, what Kalleigh has spent hours playing with over the last couple of days:

What's that? Yep, a spray bottle. What's in it? Water. Plain old H2O. Aqua purificata. (thank you Rumpelstiltskin from Shrek Forever After)

What does she do with it? Just sprays our deck and watches the patterns that emerge as the water hits the surface.

Thrilling.

And she is completely enthralled. You can tell because she is giving me the kind of smile that says, "See, no cavities!"

Why didn't I think of this sooner?

And again, I say . . .

Why do we buy toys??

Dear precious baby boy . . .

Dear Hayden,

You are my precious baby boy, and you have made this family complete. I love you more than I could ever have imagined I could love another human being. You are sweet and oh-so-cute.

HOWEVER, given that you decided to wake up this morning, eat and then stay awake for 5 hours, all the while crying inconsolably and resisting all attempts to send you to dreamland, despite the fact that all reputable sources report that "newborns stay awake no longer than 2 hours at a time", I do not like you very much right now. I am about to pull my hair out. I am at the end of my rope.

But I will bounce and shush and pat your bum until you rest.

Love Mommy