Evan and I have recently discovered the joys of bonding over building Lego. Or rather I have discovered the joys of building lego and he has discovered the joys of systematically destroying my lovingly crafted models with overly exuberant handling.
But we’re having a lot of fun, that’s the main thing.
In fact I’ve got that tingling in my left nostril that indicates I can feel a new fad coming on. All the signs are there: I’ve been perusing lego fan sites, lego catalogs, and have been looking at the bank account trying to justify spending over £50 on the stuff in just two weeks
“It’s all about bonding with him” I say “And you can’t put a price on the love of your son can you? So in reality, not buying that Lego fire engine and polce car would be tantamount to child abuse really”
This past week Evan has been really ill with chickenpox. He’s been lethargic, nautious, and generally poorly. The poor guy has been really suffering.
“Excellent!” I thought. “a great excuse to buy more Lego!!”
So once he was better I took him and Amy to Toys R Us to get my fix reward him for being such a very brave boy.
So we stood there poring over the extensive lego display. He showed a mild passing interest in a £45 police truck/car/prison van combo pack.
“you want that one do you? Well, ok. It is very expensive but if you are really really sure,. And you have been such a brave boy. OK, because you are very special we’ll get that one”.
Then something caught his attention in the corner of his eye and he rushed over to the other side of the store.
“Look Daddy!” he shouted “Strawberry Shortcake!! Can I buy this Strawberry Shortcake Doll??”
“…but what about this Lego police truck?”
“Is Strawberry Shortcake too ‘spensive Daddy?”
“well, no, it’s only £12 but the Lego truck is cool Evan, it has a little prisoner man and everything!”
“Nah. I like Strawberry Shortcake”
“… but it has over 600 individual pieces” I’m starting to wimper now “600 pieces Evan”
“I want strawberry shortcake”
“OK son, OK” and I turn to walk to the tills, a broken man.
Still at least I can take solace in the fact that this is still his favorite Lego man. Remind you of anyone?
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Oh man that is some sacrifice. I don’t think I would have been able to do it.
Kai isn’t even two yet and I look at Lego on the internet just WAITING for him to grow the hell up so I can play.
600 individual pieces you say??
Oh man.
.-= Josie @Sleep is for the Weak´s last blog ..Blogging, puddle jumping, and balding men called Steve =-.
@Josie @Sleep is for the Weak, oh yes. 600 beautiful individual peices.
Lego is different to when I was a kid though. It seems to have a hell of a lot more specialized peices, so the models you follow instructions for look great, but making your own models is a little trickier as you don’t have the basic blocks.
Ha! My son’s Uncle bought Big E a Scalextric at christmas as an excuse to play with it himself. Big boys and their toys!
The likeness of the Lego dude is uncanny…..if not a little scary!
:)
.-= Insomniac Mummy´s last blog ..Hot or not? =-.
@Insomniac Mummy, I’ve never really seen the point of Scalextric. Now model trains….
We have loads of star wars lego, including the eye watering expensive starships and some weird jabba ship that looks like a boat but I am assured is very important. When they get sick of it I will let you know.
.-= mark´s last blog ..Creative me =-.
@mark, stick it on ebay man. Those things get an absolute fortune.
Hahhahaha too cute.
Next : Scalextrix!
My bro Eoin has just bought some “for Rose’s fourth birthday” hehehe
.-= Catherine´s last blog ..Red tulips =-.
@Catherine, I’m not a big fan of Scalextric, probably because I never really had it as a kid. And it has vague sport connotations. *shudder* sport.
That Lego man isn’t for real?!
.-= Kelloggsville´s last blog ..3 Good Feelings for the Price of One =-.
@Kelloggsville, yup. uncanny isn’t it.
I remember as a kid trying to keep my lego sets separate. In the end it was just an almighty mess of coloured bricks. (Still fun to play though)
.-= SK´s last blog ..Ryo’s Ramen – Crows Nest =-.
@SK, I’m not that obsessive. All our peices go in the same box, sometimes along with the playmobil. Of course we can never find anything…
LOL – my little boy is obssessed with lego. … even more so now than ever.
(and have you seen the programable lego???? http://mindstorms.lego.com/en-us/Default.aspx A million kinds of awesome)
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..The days are long and the nights are so hard =-.
@Amanda, I think programmable lego would probably make the excitement center in my brain explode.
Lego does come Maxi is just getting really into it at 5!
.-= The Mad House´s last blog ..When the Sun comes out to play, so do we =-.
@The Mad House, Evan is into it, in fact he’s playing with it right now. He just chooses stupid crappy toys above buying the stuff
Yes, the ginger beard is famliar.
.-= Sam´s last blog ..Grey Crag =-.
@Sam, I hate you.
We’ve still got tons of lego, and you bet my dad played with it at least as much as we did. I’m sure it’s not past it’s use-date.
The likeness of that little yellow dude is uncanny.
.-= Arjan´s last blog ..The Hadrian’s Box =-.
@Arjan, keep hold of that stuff man – it’ll be great to hand down to your kids one day.
Lego, Scalextric and train sets are like breasts.
They’re designed for children, but played with by grown-ups.
@Oli, ba-bum-tish!
I encouraged FIL to buy mine a playhouse and then spent days making it into a brill den for them – table and chairs, toy chest, carpet etc. Months down the line it was nothing more than a small garden shed. I was gutted! I so wanted to play dens!!
and yes that Lego man is a little scary!
@Gail, our playhouse has similar small shed status. I am quite tempted to turn it into a chicken coop.
Oh man. Are you getting royalties for that image? I would get a good attorney.
And I feel your pain with the Strawberry Shortcake. Oh well, have fun playing with it anyway.
.-= Seattledad (Luke, I am Your Father)´s last blog ..The Porcelain Gods =-.
@Seattledad (Luke, I am Your Father), it’s uncanny isn’t it.
Strawberry Shortcake’s hair smells like chemical strawberrys, so I suppose she’s got that going for her.
Is there a Legoland Europe? If not, you should probably make a pilgrimage to the one here in California. You can stay on our futon if you like–we’re about 30 minutes away. That is if, you know, Evan has another opportunity to demonstrate his bravery and needs to be rewarded for it.
.-= beta dad´s last blog ..What Maya Angelou Doesn’t Want You to Know: Poetry Is Easy =-.
@beta dad, Wasn’t lego invented in Denmark or something? I can’t remember.
We have a legoland in the UK, but you should be careful who you offer your futon to. We have a history of sleeping on US blogger’s futons.
That’s quite a sacrifice you made; that’s a sign of true love.
.-= Kristin´s last blog ..Waving, I think =-.
@Kristin, I was impressed with myself and gave myself a pat on the back.
I’d have preferred the lego though
My god man! The resemblance is uncanny!
.-= Holmes´s last blog ..How You Do It* =-.
@Holmes, I’ve got half a mind to go on a quest for a similar looking playmobil figure too.
DH went and bought the LOs 4 large boxes of Lego the other day because he thought they would love it……. I am still not sure who enjoyed it more, DH going up to the till paying for these wonderful boxes of Lego or the LOs opening them.
@tc, buying lego is one of the most wonderful activities in the world.
.-= Kerry´s last blog ..En Guarde (102/365) =-.
When he’s a bit older it’ll be those Airfix model kits of WWII tanks and planes…you’ll have a ball!!
.-= Ben´s last blog ..Week Fourteen: You married it, you lucky thing… =-.
@Ben, Airfix is a bit too much work for me, mine always ended up as a lump of gluey plastic rather than the picture on the box
.-= Kerry´s last blog ..En Guarde (102/365) =-.
The lego man reminds me of that guy who was kicked out of the Village People for being too camp? That’s right isn’t it?
.-= Lee Sargent´s last blog ..Guest post: Sujoy on Doctor Who – The Beast Below =-.
@Lee Sargent, I hate you.
.-= Kerry´s last blog ..En Guarde (102/365) =-.
@Dan, your plugin seems to be calling you Kerry – I don’t know if I should feel vindicated or bad for Kerry?
Actually in saying that, that’s a damn impressive photo from Kerry at least we know who wears the talented pants :P
.-= Lee´s last blog ..You know who I haven’t drawn for a while? =-.
@Lee, it’s whenever I’m not logged into my wordpress account. It’s a pain in the arse.
Perhaps I should try and find Neil’s lego train set in the attic – that should keep you occupied for a few days. We all went to the original Legoland in Denmark when we lived in Germany. I think I traumatised Kerry though by making her go on the aeroplane ride with me.
I thought you had felt tipped the lego man but can see its real – my Mum once put a felt tip moustache on Neil’s action man to make it look like Archie.
@Jeannette, that stuff is worth a fortune on ebay you know. And I hear kerry really wants an ipad….
.-= Kerry´s last blog ..En Guarde (102/365) =-.
@Jeannette,
I was also sure someone had painted on the lego man-are you sure it is real? really? not painted on???
.-= Susie´s last blog ..Sometimes Life Throws You A Curveball: Just Don’t Let It Knock You Down =-.
Men and their toys! My husband’s also whinging about a Scalextric set. Has been since youngest was born. I’ll have to give in eventually…
.-= Mwa´s last blog ..The Dutch toilet dilemma: is the sight worth the sniff? =-.
@Mwa, you should buy him some for fathers day. I get lego or playmobil for father’s day every year and I love it.
Strawberry shortcake! you’re a better an that i, i don’t think i would have been able to do it!
.-= Heather´s last blog ..Are You A Bitch? =-.
@Heather, you’re right. It was a sacrifice wasn’t it. In many ways I’m a hero to all who know me.
@Dan,
LOL-I was just impressed that in the whole post you didn’t even once get into the whole-my son wants a doll thing. That’s what impressed me.
.-= Susie´s last blog ..Sometimes Life Throws You A Curveball: Just Don’t Let It Knock You Down =-.
It’s all about fire engine lego here :0) My tinker three year old boy locked himself in the toilet the other week and we only had to have five sexy firemen come and save him, sheesh should get him to do it more often ;0)
Quickly popping on to say thank you so much for your special comment, it meant so much to me and thank for taking the time to leave it. Great blog Dan, have added you to my sidebar if that is alright
@Mary Poppins, five firemen for one toilet door? Blimey.
He He, they all had different roles of course, one was doing the door, one was holding the tool kit, one was driving the fire engine, one was checking his hose, and one was checking our fire alarms. Have a look on my blog, 2nd post down, you shall see my tinker *driving* the fire engine that came to his rescue :0)
Awwww, poor daddy :-) My boys love the star wars lego stuff. Everything star wars. But, you’re right about the cost. Can’t believe these legos are so dang expensive. I can’t even afford them anymore. I haven’t seen a Strawberry Shortcake doll in a really long time. Didn’t even know they were still around.
.-= Keith Wilcox´s last blog ..See a Need, Fill a Need =-.
@Keith Wilcox, the Strawberry Shortcake stuff is about two inches high and made of plastic. the whole range has quite an interesting history actually. I’ll have to add it to my “things to blog about” list.
Dude: Right there with you on the Lego thing.
Can I just tell you how badly I want to buy the $500 Millennium Falcon?
Sorry ’bout the Strawberry Shortcake bait-and-switch. Womp-womp.
.-= Daddy Scratches´s last blog ..The one where I justify spending a ton of money we don’t have, because it’s all in the name of LOVE, people =-.
@Daddy Scratches, yes, that falcon looks fantastic. Imagine how long it would take to put it togther. Bliss.
Don’t you think he really, really, really wants a train set?
.-= Nota Bene´s last blog ..The five dollar shake =-.
@Nota Bene, yes, I think he does. One that he keeps in the attic, and bans himself from playing
Hilarious! I’m sure you had hours of fun with your Strawberry Shortcake doll.
.-= Rosie Scribble´s last blog ..Drayton Manor Theme Park Diamond Jubilee =-.
@Rosie Scribble, yes, quite. As I suspected, one week later and it’s now thrown in the toybox forgotten like all the other bits of brightly colored plastic.
@Dawn Giroux, do they even make lego aimed at girls? I know Amy was complaining about that just yesterday. I told her that fire engines are for girls too – but she is not as enlightened as me.
@Dan,
They do make stuff for girls-though i think I had bought a knock off lego-was pink had a girl and animals and a swing. Was cute
.-= Susie´s last blog ..Sometimes Life Throws You A Curveball: Just Don’t Let It Knock You Down =-.