It's six sleeps to Christmas. I'm in a new land, away from familiarity and habitual patterns. This is Australia. The land of opportunity, crocodile dundee, Vegemite, coastal beauty, enchanting wilderness and outbacks, and rolling hills of vineyards.
Aha! This is good, all good as I breathe in my Australia. Marking six months since we made it our home, and finally acclimatising to a new home, work, school, church and new found friends, it is heartening to toast to our new chapter in our lives as we craft new memories here.
With Christmas in the air and 'tis the season to be jolly, sales campaign spread through the nation, like an epidemic salvaging every victim along its way. As mere humans who devour the concept of sales, I packed the family in our trusted Mitsibushi and head out to Big W. The icon of Australia.
With kids in tow and changing bags checked, we waited no further and headed straight to the Toy department. Easy peasy I thought.
The boys were with their father, a perfect decoy to steer their attention, from seeing their new found pressies. As I stood, and took in the images in front of me and gazed at the wooden coloured Thomas & Friends set, Bob the Builder and Playskool range, I couldn't help think it was much easier to shop for babies than toddlers.
With babies, you could retrieve a colourful activity play gym, Lamaze toy or stacking cups and be the first in the check-out line, whilst managing a sniggering smile at the other hapless looking moms still eyeing their list from north to south. On the other hand, toddlers do offer much imagination and playtime as they battle alien forces, handle multitude of powers, devise their next location move of Lego housing Spiderman's St and collaborate a sunken treasure from the fiery pirates. Hmmm...I may have a hunch of what to get after all!
As I stood, eyeing each shelves eagerly and mentally deleting the non exciting and non adventurous toys, I moved on to the simple art of categorising.
So, I grouped them within outdoor toys, indoor toys, books/activity books and a much needed Doodle Pro as the current 'Wiggles' doodle board courtesy of Qantas, has now been subject to the 'Toy Abuse' section. The boys mimicking Picasso's brush strokes,drew with much rapid force that would make the ozone layer blush with shame.
With a brand new Doodle Pro ( I checked that this one was sturdy and Toy-Abuse proof) in the cart, I scanned through the shelves and found a monstrous dumpster truck which will make Tristan sit with joy in his second home..the sand pit and enjoy hours of dumping sand on our new rose garden and driveway.
I later pictured Joshua in a fiery red Ferrari outfit racing down the F1 circuit, I had no doubt that my boy would dig his new toy and add some cacophony to our quiet calm neighbourhood. So the computerised racing helmet with wireless steering wheels sat handsomely in the cart. Next, a golf cart decked with three smart looking clubs will inspire Joshua to beats his granduncle's, Tok Ismail's handicap.
Aha! This is good, all good as I breathe in my Australia. Marking six months since we made it our home, and finally acclimatising to a new home, work, school, church and new found friends, it is heartening to toast to our new chapter in our lives as we craft new memories here.
With Christmas in the air and 'tis the season to be jolly, sales campaign spread through the nation, like an epidemic salvaging every victim along its way. As mere humans who devour the concept of sales, I packed the family in our trusted Mitsibushi and head out to Big W. The icon of Australia.
With kids in tow and changing bags checked, we waited no further and headed straight to the Toy department. Easy peasy I thought.
The boys were with their father, a perfect decoy to steer their attention, from seeing their new found pressies. As I stood, and took in the images in front of me and gazed at the wooden coloured Thomas & Friends set, Bob the Builder and Playskool range, I couldn't help think it was much easier to shop for babies than toddlers.
With babies, you could retrieve a colourful activity play gym, Lamaze toy or stacking cups and be the first in the check-out line, whilst managing a sniggering smile at the other hapless looking moms still eyeing their list from north to south. On the other hand, toddlers do offer much imagination and playtime as they battle alien forces, handle multitude of powers, devise their next location move of Lego housing Spiderman's St and collaborate a sunken treasure from the fiery pirates. Hmmm...I may have a hunch of what to get after all!
As I stood, eyeing each shelves eagerly and mentally deleting the non exciting and non adventurous toys, I moved on to the simple art of categorising.
So, I grouped them within outdoor toys, indoor toys, books/activity books and a much needed Doodle Pro as the current 'Wiggles' doodle board courtesy of Qantas, has now been subject to the 'Toy Abuse' section. The boys mimicking Picasso's brush strokes,drew with much rapid force that would make the ozone layer blush with shame.
With a brand new Doodle Pro ( I checked that this one was sturdy and Toy-Abuse proof) in the cart, I scanned through the shelves and found a monstrous dumpster truck which will make Tristan sit with joy in his second home..the sand pit and enjoy hours of dumping sand on our new rose garden and driveway.
I later pictured Joshua in a fiery red Ferrari outfit racing down the F1 circuit, I had no doubt that my boy would dig his new toy and add some cacophony to our quiet calm neighbourhood. So the computerised racing helmet with wireless steering wheels sat handsomely in the cart. Next, a golf cart decked with three smart looking clubs will inspire Joshua to beats his granduncle's, Tok Ismail's handicap.
Then, something caught my eye, something red and furry. With arms stretched out, he cried for a hug. It's 'Elmo Live', and I knew in an instant, Elmo will make the perfect indoor pet for Tristan. At least he won't shed any fur!
Almost done as I added activity book kits with Christmas poppers to the cart. Let's not forget the colorful foil wrappers and adorable gift tags. Nope, forget the bows as my boys have strictly left me instructions that gift bows are for GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS..so no to bows and ribbons.
Mission accomplish and breeze myself with the boys in the cart echoing
'Fa La La La..la la la la' down the check-out counter, only to see the size of New York's traffic shopping carts with hovering families grabbing second and third glances at their finds, ahead of me!
'Fa La La La..la la la la' down the check-out counter, only to see the size of New York's traffic shopping carts with hovering families grabbing second and third glances at their finds, ahead of me!
Darn it! The waiting begins as we park ourselves in aisle No. 7 and look ahead to investigate if the cashier counter has placed Ben 10, Four Arms cashier lookalike to whip up the queue...oh well, no sight of Four Arms. Somewhere, near the express counter, I see a bunch of parents with shopping bags tiptoeing from the queue and glancing back at the exodus of human traffic. With flashing 'thumbs up', they paint a sniggering smile.
Ah! The babies shoppers have completed their mission!
Ah! The babies shoppers have completed their mission!
Feliz Navidad mates!
