Look at my feverish little sweetie, working on recuperating (with a little help from Roxie) from the "secondary infection" he contracted after beating H1N1.
This kid needs to 'rockie' with Grandma. Even if he is doing better. Even if he's now running around the house, dancing to Elmo songs, and chasing Roxie back and forth across the living room.
He still needs a hug from Grandma. Or more likely, it's Grandma who needs a hug from him.
So we'll soon be on our way, once I figure out how to pack all the gifts into our luggage. (Luggage I have to manage on my own, may I remind you, because we're still dealing with THIS!)
And it's the fact that the gifts must fit in the luggage that has given me a bit of a brain ache the last few weeks.
Bubby was only six months old last Christmas, so any gift I gave him would do. No big deal. But this year, he has preferences, likes, dislikes, and I want to give him the very best gift ever so he loves me more than anyone in the world smiles and grins and dives into playing with whatever gift he opens from Grandma.
But I've had a little trouble.
First of all, I found online a really great "Best of Elmo" dance mix CD. Bubby loves Elmo and he loves to dance. And I figured he'd love the CD. So I ordered it. But it's sold out, no longer available. Shucks. Strike one.
I also planned to give him one of those cool Hallmark recordable "Night Before Christmas" books that I've seen again and again on television commercials. I planned to even ring one of my many bells while recording, to signal to Bubby when it's time to turn the page. But I initially hesitated because of the $30 price tag and held off buying it. Until I found a $10 off coupon in my Better Homes & Gardens magazine. So I headed to Hallmark with a happy, happy stride, only to be told, literally, "Good luck wth THAT!" when I asked the bitchy sales girl where I could find them. "They're gone, no longer available. They're selling for $70 on e-Bay, so you can try your luck there." Strike two. Bubby will not be getting THAT this year (or ever, it seems).
Strike three involved a car playset I'd seen again and again in Toys R Us ads. I don't usually go to Toys R Us but figured I could pick up the playset anywhere -- only to find it nowhere ... online or IRL. After searching for a couple weeks, I broke down and went to Toys R Us. They had the playset. But it sucked looked like it would break soon after the first car rolled off the track. Bubby wouldn't be getting that gift either.
But I found another playset, a Fisher Price playset that I think he'll like. I even asked a young dad at Toys R Us, who was unlucky enough to be in the same aisle with me, but lucky enough (for both of us) to have a little boy Bubby's age sitting in his cart. So I asked Dad what he thought. And he asked his son, Brady, what he thought. He liked it, he really liked it. So I think Bubby will like it, too. I hope.
And I hope he likes all the other luggage-friendly gifts I've purchased, too. Here's the small haul I've gathered (minus the cool family gift Jim and I are giving but I can't include here because I want Megan and Preston to be surprised, since they'll be sharing it with Bubby):