I am always looking for ways to create more usable space throughout my house. Even though we have ample storage and closet space, I constantly aim to make the most of certain spots, especially the kids’ rooms. My most recent purge/reorganization episode arose when we transitioned our three-year-old from a toddler bed to a full bed. This act of skill and craftsmanship is not for the faint of heart; it takes patience, balance, and the ability to answer a thousand questions while working with drills, screws, new bedding, three years’ worth of stuffed animals, and two kiddos who rediscovered lost toys from under the bed. Gaining what my daughter calls “a real-sized bed,” introduced the unique challenge of rearranging the room just a bit (read: a giant purge fest for this mama). If the toys and pieces that made the cut could speak, I am sure they would brag about their continued tenure in our home and the hours of play they will afford my children. In fact, I can almost hear the play drill set making plans with the bowling set at the same time that the toy cash register is ringing her bells with delight over her contract being renewed.
But when the dust had settled and the pirate bedding was neatly atop his new bed, I couldn’t help being hit with nostalgia. I held back tears as we placed baby toys and books into a pile for a younger family member and clothes that fit my growing-like-a-weed boy into a stack for another family member. My six-year-old daughter sat down on a toy box that once sat in her room, sighed, and said, “I hope we always have room for this.” I smiled sweetly as her younger brother echoed, “Me too,” and they went about their playing for the rest of the afternoon. I thought about what that toy box has been through—all the hours of play it has seen—and pondered the words it would speak if given the chance.
The baby stages bring joys, new experiences, emotions, and learning curves for a household. Furniture is tested to their limits, floors are covered with food and sippy cups, and nothing is safe from the tiny feet that yearn to stand and walk. Our toy box survived this stage not once, but twice. Its arms held up to the constant banging and pulling, and the back rest lived to tell about being pulled in every direction. Even though this particular piece of furniture was handmade by a local handyman, I doubted its time with us. The wooden rollers that accompany the built-in xylophone have endured more rounds of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” than one ever should, and the sturdy lid has been slammed with the gusto of a rebellious teenager on more than one occasion. Nevertheless, this solid box outlived the wild baby years with minimal bumps and bruises. If our toy box was to write about the baby stages, I believe it would go like this:
I was made with local hands so strong,
And sat in a room for nine months long.
I’ve heard every cry, scream, and snore,
And the patter of mama’s footsteps outside the door.
I’ve held the wipes, blankets, and toys
With colors ideal for girls and boys.
Time marches on and so does the babe,
Every day brings a different charade.
I’ve withstood the drool, bangs, and slaps,
And vibrated with every rap-a-tap-tap.
Their strong little legs are on the run,
Reminding me that this stage is nearly done.
Toddlers do not discriminate when it comes to their antics and behaviors. You may have escaped a temper tantrum due to their dislike for your sock choice for them that day, but today may find you in the throes of their three-year-old glory, foot stomping and all. Sometimes the toys take the hardest hits, namely dolls, small action figurines, and stuffed animals. Our lovely toy box has definitely seen its fair share of good days and bad, and proudly dons the Crayola tribal markings to prove so. The addition of Doc McStuffins, Paw Patrol, and Mickey Mouse stickers only adds to the shimmer and shine of our old faithful box, which, by the way, screams, “Toddlers at play. Beware and engage at your own risk.” If our toy box was to tell us about the toddler years, I believe it would go something like this:
The chalk, glue, Crayons, and paint,
Make my finish appear quite faint.
How I long for the days of nursery rhymes
And the evening sounds of sweet bedtime.
Now I’m basically a standing billboard,
For all the things these toddlers adore.
From dolls and blocks to gear sets galore,
I can even be found standing guard at the door.
But, oh, my dear, the games they play!
They hide and seek and dream away.
I’ve been a fort, truck, and play bed,
And provided a place to rest their darling heads.
Older toddlers and school-aged kiddos are my “right now.” They are rapidly changing as emerging readers and problem solvers and amaze me with their curiosity of the world around them. Partner playing is a sweet, blissful act that can keep them both engaged for a delightful block of time. What’s even more delightful is the fact that they play and learn happily with the toys we have and rarely ask for new ones (except those stuffed animals that are strategically placed at the checkout line AND happen to be compatible with the weekly coupon. Well played, Michael’s. Well played.) The beauty of this phase of life comes in the form of sprouting imaginary games, well thought-out treasure hunts, extremely detailed diagnoses for stuffed animals, and the genuine joy of an older sister reading to her wide-eyed and sponge of a younger brother. If our toy box was to write about this particular stage, I believe it would go something like this:
Sit, rest your feet, and read a book aloud,
Humans and Barbies and the whole stuffed zoo gladly make up your crowd.
Throw your capes inside and your superhero masks too,
And if you dig deep enough, you may find that long lost shoe.
I serve as a table for important matters of the heart,
Such as deciding when the American Girl’s tea party should start.
Treasure maps have been laid out upon my sturdy top,
And on more than one occasion, I’ve felt my lid drop.
The kids take turns choosing in which room I should reside,
But sometimes Mama has to step in and be the one to decide.
I’ve felt their growing pains from my back down to my feet,
And I love the way they race to me, just to have a seat.
I look forward to more stories and life lessons along the way,
For I have lots of life to give, and more fictional games to play.
My lid still opens, my legs still roll, and I have sound left in my bell,
I hope this time slows down, and I continue to serve them well.
With every season of parenthood comes change, growth, and learning curves. I can’t predict what our next season will hold, or the one after that. I can anticipate longer books taking their place on our shelves while more difficult board games grace our kitchen table. Play food sets and perhaps even our play kitchen may disappear, along with the last of our board books that shaped our independent reader(s). With each passing and gaining of toys, books, educational materials, and so forth, I can see myself yearning to hold on to a few precious pieces of their childhood. As of now, my kids can guarantee the safety of at least ten stuffed animals, along with an assortment of superhero capes. But if I have any say whatsoever, you can bet that our tried and trusted toy box will be adorning their rooms well into their teen years.
