Low-tech fun

There is basically no limit to the amount of money one can spend on baby toys. When Owen was born, we, like most new parents, bought more than a few items that are alleged to spur brain development and improve motor skills and various other claims that are probably not true.

We haven't bothered to buy much of anything for Abby yet. Partly because there are plently of old toys for her to gnaw on — sorry, play with — but mostly because we learned the first time that no matter how fancy the toy, no matter how many bells and whistles (literally) the toy has, a baby will invariably roll it around until he or she has found the little white tag that contains serial numbers and washing instructions.

Then the baby will suck on the tag. I have no idea why, and maybe this is a phenomenon unique to our two children (though I doubt it), but those tags are like heroin to babies. Owen had a particular fondness for the tags on two of his receiving blankets, and after he outgrew sucking on them he switched to simply rubbing them on his face. For a time that was about the
only way he could fall asleep: laying in bed, softly rubbing his "tag blankies" on his nose. Later, when the blankets were tossed aside, the tags were replaced in his routine by the ribbon on his favourite stuffed toy, a blue dog named Pucky. Now Pucky's ribbon is so severely degraded by
nose-rubbing that there is little left of it.

Abby is showing similar tendencies. The toys she most likes are those with nice fabric tags. Hours of fun.

There's an episode of Seinfeld in which Elaine opens a store dedicated to just muffin tops, since that's the best part of the muffin. (Aside: the store was called Top of the Muffn to You. I think) I'm thinking of starting a business that produces only white tags attached to cheap, boring stuffed balls. Perhaps a couple of tags for each stuffed ball, but not too many because maybe part of the thrill is in locating the tag.

Babies will love them.