Henry was a challenge to buy for this year. He had a list, but it was unusually full of There Is No Way We Are Buying You That ideas (itch powder, cleats for no reason, a giant globe because his friend has one and he likes to spin it). One repeat request from last year was “pizza out with parent,” which we did again this year. That’s fun and yummy for ME, too: I love pizza, and it’s fun to go with just one kid. Both years he’s redeemed the coupon at the very earliest possible meal (lunch on December 26th), and it’s a nice vacation thing to do.

(image from Amazon.com)

Another list item was Nerf gun. I’d sent Henry’s list to my parents, and my mother reported that my dad had immediately chosen that idea. She further reported that he’d been going to order two (“He needs TWO!”) and then at the last minute ordered THREE plus ALSO a refill pack of darts, and also was considering adding the idea to his own wish list. So “Gift Ideas for a 7-Year-Old Boy or Your Dad.” (Or my friend Surely’s co-workers.) This is a toy that has been in HEAVY use since Christmas. Yesterday evening there was a chorus of surprised screaming; it turned out that the three littles were playing, and Elizabeth had successfully ambushed her brothers. There are darts everywhere: I found one nestled in the branches of the Christmas tree, and several came through the laundry.

(image from Amazon.com)

Another list item was “squirt gun,” so my brother and sister-in-law bought him a Super Soaker. He’s been allowed to fire it into the tub for now, and is looking forward to summer.

(image from Amazon.com)

Electric blanket. Last year he was SO JEALOUS when Edward got an electric blanket and he didn’t. Electric blankets went on clearance after Christmas, so I waited until they were 50% off and then I bought one for him and set it aside. I’d thought about giving it to him for his birthday, but May is not the right time of year to fully appreciate an electric blanket, so I saved it for Christmas. (The picture shows two controllers, but the twin-size has one controller.)

(image from Amazon.com)

Christmas Craft Fun Play-Doh Set. The week before Christmas, I was looking at the list I’d kept of what we were giving the kids, and I noticed that Henry’s list had LESS—not only in total cost (which is sometimes relevant and sometimes not) but also in STUFFness. The day before Christmas Eve, I went out shopping with my mom hoping that something would seem like The Right Thing. This seemed good: cute Play-Doh projects that didn’t look too difficult. I also bought a 4-pack of basic Play-Doh (red/blue/yellow/white) because the tubs it came with seemed skimpy.

(image from Amazon.com)

Jar of gumballs. This is not the one I bought him. The one I bought him had fewer gumballs but they were assorted sizes, which I thought he’d like. This was one of his favorite Christmas presents.

(image from landsend.com)

Lands’ End Octopus shirt. He saw this while I was shopping for the space-themed shirts for Edward, and went nuts for it. He’d also wondered if there could be anything as delightful as a shirt that was red AND black, so I bought him this one from Kohl’s and another one (not on the site anymore) on a good sale. I think it’s weird/neat when kids want something I would never ordinarily buy for them. I hadn’t realized red and black together weren’t my taste until he asked for that. I remember when I was little my mom’s style was dresses and corduroy jumpers and turtlenecks, and my style was pants and pink velour; this helped me buy the red and black shirts.

(image from Amazon.com)

Garfield book, a different one than Edward’s.