misosouper, a shopping blog

To be honest, even though I own a Tengu I’m still not sure what the hell it is: my little man looks like an iPhone fell in bed with a domino, spawning a creature with a huge, wobbly, neon mouth.

What I do know is this:  I plug him in to the USB port on my computer, and he talks to me.  And sings little songs.  And changes faces when you blow on him.  And…that’s what she said.  (Apparently, hanging out with Tengus brings out your inner Michael Scott.)

But since my Tengu came to live on my desk, his odd brand of lip-synching (you should see him do the new Phoenix album!) has made my freelance, work-at-home life a lot less lonely.

When it comes to baby gear, second kids often get the shaft.  (Which conjures up images of a poor third baby I know, who slept in a dresser drawer because the crib was ruined.)  The stuff you bought for your first–or at least, the stuff I bought for my first–is stained, torn, and sticky.  And that’s just the gear that didn’t get thrown away.

For our new baby, I’m starting her off fresh with a Wee Wood of the Month subscription to Little Alouette’s fabulous collection of teethers, blocks, rattles, and toys.  Made of smooth Ohio maple, these hippos, stars, and bunnies (oh my!) are blessedly toxin- and battle-scar free.

These wooden birds have Bette Davis eyes.  Plus, they’re mix-and-matchable.  Line a few up on a dresser, until your baby is old enough to switch out their heads.

An Easter treat for the kid who likes to count her Lincolns.

File this Magic Garden under toys that just get better with age.  Like ant farms, or slingshots.