Kid tested, mother approved ---- toys?

To no one's surprise, Gwen's favorite toys seem to be things that aren't toys at all. Not exactly a News Flash because that's exactly how Michael was at this age and it's probably the way all babies have been since the start of time!

So why do toy makers bother to create bright colored plastic toys with smooth edges that nobody's kid will play with? (Unless they make a helluvalotta noise!)

Why doesn't Little Tykes market toys that look like the actual contents of mommy's purse? A toy Bic lighter, pack of chewing gum, half a Snickers, etc?

Why doesn't Mattel make toy kitty litter?

How come Fisher Price doesn't make a toy cereal box?

The one to the left is Gwen's favorite toy today. She spent the last three weeks eating the contents of it (dispensed daily into her snack-trap). Now it's empty and she's filled it with all sorts of treasures -- none of which, I assure you, started their life as legitimate toys. Notice how the $50 Fisher-Price IncrediBlock toy just sits in the background while Gwen merrily whacks the heck out of her cereal box with her wooden spoon?

Pretty stacking cups are great but the lidless old set of Rubbermaid and Tupperware with the tomato-stained interior is even better! A pie tin apparently makes a heavenly noise (to a toddler) when she smacks it with just about anything. And a $2.99 pocket calculator looks almost the same as Mom and Dad's TV remote control and they don't seem to mind if baby carries it around in her mouth!

Yep! Christmas is going to be fun this year! Gwen should have lots of boxes to play with after we unwrap them and get rid of their useless contents!