May 15 To Cal with Love

Friday:  Here are the presents I gave to Cal for his birthday this year. If you recall, Cal and I went to Aunt Candy's Toy Company (Rockford) a few weeks ago and he picked out a bunch of stuff he was interested in, I took pictures of his choices, and then went back the next week to purchase them.

The day I went back to Rockford to buy these gifts for Cal, I took a really long walk along the Rogue River on the White Pine Trail--I can't remember if I posted those pictures or not! Anyway, here is most of what Cal picked out at the toy store the other day. Two of the things he really wanted, however, were sold out. One was a stretchy lizard (!!), and the other one was a stretchy crocodile. So I had to come up with some other things to make up for those losses.

Cal really really REALLY loves dinosaurs, lizards, ferocious animals ... and all of his toys WAR against the other toys. This is really vital to Cal! When he saw these two sabertooth tigers, he immediately began a big fight between them in the store! The four tiny creatures (a beaver, alligator, lizard, and frog) are those 3-D printed toys, which are quite nicely made and super cute. Cal didn't ask for these in particular, but he studied the bin where I found these for a very long time. He really wanted this rather gross skeleton figure, but its eyes were SO frightening, I couldn't bring myself to buy it!

The little plastic square containers I painted to be little "homes" for the tiny 3-D creatures. One is a swamp, and one is a beaver's lodge.

Here is Cal opening up the presents. I waited until all of Cal's friends were already gone before I had him open them ... because he would have been too distracted otherwise.

He immediately began a fight between the two tigers ... look at his expression!

Erin really liked this cute key-chain Cal picked out and told me she wants one too.

Not pictured very clearly with the gifts I bought Cal was a small round container of "sticky soldiers" that if stuck on a window would kind of "walk" their way down. They were VERY sticky, for sure!

I wasn't sure what to do as far as buying gifts for Cal this year. I usually purchase something that he can build with or enjoy for quite awhile--something sturdy and interesting; but I was rather stuck this year as to what to get for him. Sigh. I'm not sure about any of this stuff, but ... it was enough to see his little face light up while he was opening these little "odd" gifts. Happy Birthday, dear Gregory Callaghan!