Friday is Margaret's 6th birthday. Tonight Fr Mark and I went out and bought her a scooter, a checker/chess board, and a wooden hamburger and hotdog set with wooden fries and a wooden juice box and straw. Now, there is a part of me that would like to say that I am earthy to buy wooden toys for my kids. There is also the more dominant part of me that likes to have my younger church friends come to my house and compliment me on my earthy approach to parenting by buying earthy wooden toys.
Of course I am no more earthy than anybody else who buys these kinds of toys. The fact is, it is always easier to throw away plastic than it is wood, even though they might cost about the same. The wooden toys are also much more attractive. I have bought plenty of plastic hamburgers in my time (and thrown away just as many), but none of them have been as attractive, and seemingly as durable as those made of wood. It's a pity I have only two more children to run them through. Undoubtedly I'll pass them on to my earthy friends.
Rose bought Meggy a lime green voice modulator. It records your voice and changes it to either a "Munchkin Land" voice, or a "Nightmare on Elm Street" voice. We had fun singing "Happy Birthday to You" to her, and no doubt she'll have fun modulating it in whichever way she pleases.
