Shopping with the Boys

Today is baby Henry’s first birthday. Hooray, Henry!

Tonight we are celebrating with a cookout at the pool we frequent, and as part of our preparations this morning I loaded up the boys to go pick out a gift and a few more items for the party. As Henry is our fifth son, I had a very hard time figuring out what present to get him. Everything we considered, I could basically fast-forward several months or years and see it at the local charity consignment shop. Anything that would last longer, well we already have (sorting blocks, wooden blocks, wagon, swing, lincoln logs and tinker toys and I think that just about covers it!).

Is it terrible that I’m being so pragmatic? You don’t think so? THANK YOU.

Off we went to the toy store, and I let the boys pick out the gift they were really, really hoping to buy—one very large stuffed white tiger. He looks remarkably (suspiciously?) like Hobbes, and I have a feeling Henry will be having to share this guy a lot. Henry is currently napping it up for tonight’s soiree, and his brothers have dressed the animal as a golfing Tiger Woods.

On the way home from picking out the gift, we stopped at the grocery store where I discovered they now have two-seater shopping carts!? Where were these six years ago when I had four boys under aged five? Having one of these would have involved a lot more peace and a lot less tears. As it is, we no longer need one, but today, Charlie enjoyed riding shotgun with baby Henry just the same.