Rockin' Memories....

Fisher Price Vintage Rock-a-Stack (Made in USA)

I found this vintage beauty today at a garage sale, I had the chance to go out for an hour or two and I did pretty well. This toy brought back many fine memories and will find a place in the next room I will re-do, and that is going to be the "toy room". I plan to furnish the room as a guest room, but decorate shelves with all the bright vintage toys (mostly Fisher-Price) and books that I've saved over the years from my kids, and with the few I had from my childhood (also Fisher-Price). I have plans for it to be bright, colorful, and a happy grandchild magnet (someday)! I love the colors of vintage toys, and the bright and happy memories associated with them even more.

I remember when I bought one of these for my first little one, taking off the packaging and handing it to her. It was something I remembered having around when I was young and I knew she would like it, too. I remember the widening of her eyes, as she innocently showed the enchantment with the bright colors. And she must have been a genius (I thought!) when she figured out which one to put on the pole in the correct order.

Time spent with your little one and a few toys on a blanket on the floor or on the lawn is great for both mom and baby, and they will someday become the most precious memories we take with us into later years. Why can't I think of those days without misty eyes?

I see a little chubby girl with pretty light brown hair that smelled like Johnson's baby shampoo and a pair of pink corduroys and a pastel striped turtleneck tucked into the pants. A little rounded belly, and white Stride-Rite walking shoes peeking out from the pant legs. An emerging tooth was causing drool to fall as she concentrated on her toy.

I remember admiring the perfect way her long eyelashes lay on the chubby cheeks, the beauty of the complexion she was given, and was in awe at the miniature little pink fingernails on her perfect petite fingers as they busily performed complex tasks, listening to her breathe just a little bit heavier when in intense concentration or bending over to reach for the next ring. I loved to listen to her "talk" and look into the blue, blue eyes and rub the top of the soft little head with the fine hair that I loved to smell, to comb, to curl around my finger.

I remember the "falling in love" part of being a parent, getting to know that child, what would make her laugh, where on her little belly to tickle to elicit the best throaty giggle, learning that she most decidedly did NOT like the feel of the grass on her little bare feet. I will never be sorry for taking time as a new parent, to sit still in our plain newlywed-style living room and get to know our little ones intimately, just with a blanket and a few toys. We would talk, laugh softly, get a book and settle down and just read and look at pictures and point to the objects in them and play back and forth with toys, fingers, or toes.

The joys in life are the simple things, like this toy, so simple and bright!