Dollhouse Update, & Happy Birthday to an Awesome Big Boy

Before James (then called Deuce) was born, and when I knew he was going to be a boy, I was really upset about my dollhouse.  Who would use it now?  Not boys, for sure.  You can read all about my sadness of this situation here - Basic re-cap, my grandfather took about 5 years to hand make a dollhouse for me,  all the hard wood floors are in an intricate design.  The windows move up and down, there are balconies, a fireplace, a skylight.  The inside rooms are wallpapered with wallpaper from my childhood home. I got it when I turned 5, it was really special. I didn't think a boy would ever play with it nicely or treat it well - as it is so special and delicate how could I give it to someone who will just have GI Joe war attacks off of it?  Then, a few months ago, my biggest little guy and I were visiting someone else's house, where they had a dollhouse, and he was enthralled.

We went to the public library, and there was a dollhouse and again he was enthralled.  He loves to play pretend, moving the characters around, the furniture around, he goes into full on pretend stories.  He asked me if he could get a dollhouse too.

So, we did it, after 24 years of moving the dollhouse from sitting spot to sitting spot, from house to house, from attic to attic - I got it down, painted it, dusted it off and was thrilled to give it to my big guy this morning.  The look on his face was priceless.  Even better, for 25 straight minutes, even with Pa somewhere else in our house, he played - interspersed with comments like: "Thank you Mommy, I like it really, really much."  We are not using the dollhouse furniture that I had, as that was really more for display and not play (plus tornado Angus ripped through it decimating a lot of the good pieces about 8 years ago) - I bought a fisher price set that fits nicely, is a good starter and we can add rooms on as more holidays and birthdays go by making the present constantly fun and new!  To prompt this, I had said to Joel Andrew: "See this room, it is the bathroom, but it doesn't have a toilet yet, we can get one."  Joel responded: "We don't need to get one Mommy, we can just pretend."

Joel Andrew is the best, smartest, understanding, little guy in the world.  He is stubborn, and he knows what he wants and he is a good manipulator already, I can tell (and I mean that in the best sense, as I am a good manipulator too - I think as long as you channel this power for good only.  He also is so polite and knows how to sweet talk the ladies.  When we eat dinner, totally unprompted he will say: "thank you for making a good dinner Mommy!"

His memory is incredible.  You can tell him something once and he will never forget it.  I told him that I needed to start eating better when he asked me why we couldn't go to McDonalds.  Later that week he tells Nana and Pa "Mommy said she is going to start eating better."  Now I guess he is going to hold me to it!  He can be so stubborn.  You still have to prepare him for things, but with preparation, he will do anything and he will do it well.  Joel Andrew, we are going to go to the dentist, they will poke at you, but after if you are good we will go to the playground.  He goes, he tries really hard and at the worst parts he stops and says: "after I get to go to the playground if I am good."

I can't believe that 4 years ago he was born.  That's like college.  Life was a standstill for a while, but all of the sudden - like everyone told me it would - the fast forward button has been hit and now we are flying.  He is big enough to enjoy my dollhouse, which was always a possible someday thing.  I hope he loves it and has fun.  I hope James - AKA Toddlerzilla does not become interested in it, at least not for now!

As a sidebar, I wish the dollhouse toys you get were less pink and more neutral.  I got the Grandpa with Golf Clubs and the Dad with the wheelbarrow and rake - but most of the furniture and beds and stuff are all geared to girls.  I guess it doesn't matter, Joel could care less.  A color is a color.  But it would be extra-cool if they had a mini-Uncle Jeremy mechanic set and a mini-man room like his Daddy set with fish tank & pool table too!

Happy Birthday to my little guy.  Like I told you when I first held you in my arms: "we are going to have so much fun!"