Commence Christmas Shopping

Before I became a mom, I viewed toy shopping differently. Squirting toys meant fun in the bath and any toy that made some kind of noise would be a huge hit. Once I became a parent myself, I learned that squirting bath toys can get mildew trapped inside and those noisy toys take a long time to kill the batteries they're running on.

Often times a toy looks good in theory, but when put into practice, it turns into quite the disaster. Take the sand and water tables, for instance. Sand on one side, water on the other. Pre-mom thinking says "What an ingenious idea!" Post-mom says "Well, that's going to just go from sand & water to mud!" Water sprinklers made for the bathtub means water all over the bathroom. Extravagant Lego buildings mean spending 9 hours putting it together and then watching your kid tear it apart in 30 minutes. Hungry Hippos bought for the older sibling may require a trip to the ER when the youngest one swallows a marble. Instrumental recorders...I'm wincing at the day that I bought those for the kids I used to babysit. Sorry Marisa...I didn't realize what I was getting you into! 

I've also found that it's impossible to do any kind of Christmas shopping with kids in tow. No matter how I've tried to hide what they are getting under other gifts or clothes, Sean still manages to point it out and question why it's in the carriage. Even if he doesn't see what I'm actually buying, he certainly doesn't miss all the stuff I'm not buying.

Then I discovered Amazon. Most items qualify for free shipping if you spend over $25 so shopping online has become financially comparable to shopping at the store. I will admit, I'm rather amazed at how it sucks you in. I search for 'building blocks' and then they suggest other items I might like, which leads to a loss of about an hour or two that can be compared to a visit to the Twilight Zone.

I used to have to deal with finding a parking spot or running to 6 different stores for one thing that no one seems to have. Gone are the days of hiding purchases from curious eyes and public tantrums over the decision to pass on the latest toy craze. This year, I think I'll be saner shopping in my pajamas, complete with fuzzy slippers and a cup of cocoa. With the promise of having a more relaxed holiday season, I'm actually looking forward to it this year.