Super-cool trucks

I'm finding it more difficult to wow my son as he gets older. He really likes character-based toys (Cars, Buzz Lightyear, Batman) and weapons. Not my favorites. He's not always immediately thrilled with my picks, although they often prove their worth in the long run.

When I saw these Fagus wooden trucks, I was cautiously optimistic. Both sets of grandparents were kind enough to buy one. Now, he's the proud owner of the Unimog truck with conveyor belt and the car transporter.

The photo is of Ronan sending the fish up the conveyor belt and into the Unimog's box.

Fagus trucks are handmade in Germany and are the recipient of many "Spiel Gut" toy awards (more on that later). They're pricey, but the kind of play they inspire, and the amazing quality of them, makes them worth it to our family.

I'd love to know if there are any American craftspeople making these kind of wooden vehicles. Let me know if you have any leads.

To Playmobil

I was so excited when my son turned four, all because of you. Sure, we had delved into the 1-2-3 line, and it's great. But oh, the big kid sets. Castles, pirates, construction vehicles, submarines and so much more! The level of detail is amazing, and the workmanship is fantastic. I love the ka-chunk, ka-chunk sound as my son rolls up the drawbridge on his new castle.

I'm glad we didn't jump the gun, though, as frustration can come easily to a little one who can't quite make the ATV guy's hands clip on to the handlebars.

The fact that your line is mostly still produced in Europe is fantastic in these lead-fearing days.

Now I just need to get a bunch of bins to hold the numerous, tiny accessories. And then head back to eavesdrop outside my son's door: "Dragon, you need to wait until everyone has their swords to attack." Thanks for making such nice, polite dragons!

Lovey?

To the left you'll see a pile of rejected lovies. I don't know why I've always wanted my kids to adopt a special comfort item. I think I'm probably projecting my own desire -- how lovely to have one special, cozy, snuggly item that makes you feel better!

On the flip side, you have the risk of loss or damage. I still remember the family vacation when my younger brother's yellow quilted blanket was lost forever.

But still I persist. Here's the latest attempt. Baby Jayne's is owned by an acquaintance of mine, and this blanket is scrumptious. If Bea ends up discarding it, it's destined to become my lovey!

My Neighbor Totoro

This is by far my favorite animated film. (Okay, I do have a soft spot for Mulan, too.) The story is fanciful, even bordering on the bizarre if you take the cat bus into account. Two sisters, ages 4 and 11, are living in the country in 1950s Japan. Their mother is in the hospital with TB, and their father is a professor. The sisters develop a relationship with the local forest spirits, or totoro, who come to their aid when things go wrong.

Written and directed by Japanese legend Hayao Miyazaki, the character design and animation are breathtaking. Mai's character is imbued with the essence of little girl as she busily investigates her new house.

There are some tense bits to this movie, mostly when Mai (the four-year-old) gets lost. But everything ends happily; watch the beginning of the credits to see mom arriving home from the hospital.

Adults should also check out Spirited Away, and Kiki's Delivery Service is great for six and up.

Finally, for .25 a pop you can pick up a bushel of wooden acorns from Casey's Wood to make little tied-up packages just like Totoro's. I was going to make them as stocking stuffers but decided the acorns are a little small for my still-mouthy one-year-old.

Kick it, funky snowman!

This selection of goofy poems is one of our favorite reads. Calef Brown has a knack for the ridiculous.

Ronan's favorite part? When the polkabats drop polkaturds on a bystander's unsuspecting head.

Calef has a few other books of poetry, but this one remains at the top of our list.

Why I love Hanna

Andersson, that is. This photo shows my son wearing his new deck pants in May 2006. He also wore them today, and it's late November 2007. They're above his knees now, but still fit.

HA uses a lot of organic cotton, and their styles are colorful and classic. Also, I've found that stains are much more likely to come out than in other brands.

Hanna can be expensive, but if you get on their email list for sales, you can catch good deals. And even if you don't live near one of their outlet stores, you can call them. Tell them you're looking for deck pants or playdresses or whatever, and they'll tell you what colors they have in stock and ship them to you.

Tempting, but...

When I first saw this set in a catalog, I was all ready to put it on the Christmas list for Grandma to buy. A felt mailbox with a flag that moves and mail that has velcro stamps and addresses?? Fabulous! But then I saw that it costs $50.

I'm not someone who particularly enjoys doing crafty things. But really, how hard would it be to make a mailbox out of a shoebox, and then make lots of your own mail? Even my son, who also isn't very crafty, would enjoy doing that project, I think.

On the other hand, maybe this is a perfect gift from grandma. I'm not going to judge.

(And it's made in the USA. I saw it in the Chasing Fireflies catalog.)