The Adorables!: Toy for Two

Grace has never had a bunch of toys. I don't know if we're stingy or picky or what, but Chris and I could probably count on one hand the number of toys we've actually purchased for her. Here, I'll go ahead and shock most of you -- we've never bought her a Christmas present!! She's always had enough just from what she's received at her birthday and Christmas from family and friends, and from the couple of times that we've received hand-me-downs when someone had a toy that needed a good home.

Having two children has been a fun social experiment for me, it's always so interesting to note how different Grace and Rachael already are, and how different I am as a parent! Grace would play independently for what seemed like an eternity before "asking" us to join her, that was how she was from the beginning. I never would see anything on TV or in advertisements and think, "That would be great for Grace!" Rachael just loves to be entertained, she wants to be part of whatever's going on! And as for toys, I cannot tell you how many times I've seen something on television or in a parenting magazine and thought, "I want one for Rachael!!" So when a friend from church offered some toys, I gladly accepted!

One of the toys will live at my mom's house, but I kept two for our place. She gave us a bunch of Peek-a-Blocks and the Press and Go Train (which my mom has at her place already), but she also gave us a Playskool Ball Popper. I thought Rachael would get a kick out of it... Well, she does, and so does Grace! It's my first chance to watch them play together, and it has been so much fun! Today I sat and watched them play for a while, and then I decided to get some photographic evidence of it. Even though I'm praying that they will be sisters and friends -- I had a sister, I know the ups and downs of that kind of relationship! ;-)

A Playskool Ball Popper unites The Manning Girls...