Good toys for the car

You'll think it's a joke when I tell you. John and I were packing up to leave for a short road trip and Ecco wanted to pack an activity bag. John thought it was a good idea so he helped her put it together.

We left without much delay and in a while Ecco starts pulling things out of her bag.

I hear her playing with one thing or another, when she asks me if I'll help her "put them all in the same way". I'm driving so I'd have to crane my neck to see what she was trying to hand me, so instead I reach my hand back and she puts a small box in my hand. It's the "toy" John proudly packed for her; a box of matches!

DID YOU HEAR ME!?

My husband packed our not yet three year old daughter a box of matches to play with. AND he's proud! Seriously, he's pleased at his own ingenuity! Like matches are maybe as much fun as Polly Pocket, but without the expense or wasted plastic.

He's told me several times that he thinks they're good fun because she organizes them and because they're basically compact dolls she can create little scenarios with.

Fortunately, our daughter isn't (knock on wood) accident prone and she almost always asks before she does anything new. But still...matches?

I know that most people in my shoes would be angry or worried or scared or at least a little miffed, but I can't seem to muster any of that. I think it's one of the most ridiculous things he's done but it's not really that big of a surprise. Matches are probably too cute to be only for adults and who doesn't love sliding the little drawer in and out left to right, right to left?

John may have finally walked over the line of reasonability, but it seems that this time (although I took away the matches) I'm right there with him!

Break the tension

We were having a little tense moment in the car (nothing big; I just wasn't being direct enough about asking to stop at one grocery store over another) when Ecco chimes in. Now, I don't know how she could know that this would break the tension, so I have to think that she just said the first thing to came to mind.

This is how it went...

Eve: "Do you just want to go to this grocery store and I'll nurse Gray in the car?"

John: "I prefer the other grocery store"

Eve: "But we're passing this grocery store now...aren't you stressed out about Gray crying?"

Ecco: "Excuse me Pop...when we get out of the car, can I see your nose hair?"

I'm still laughing!!!