The Man Phone!

The heart wants what it wants, or so the saying goes, and my son proved that the other day at Toys R Us. For those of you that don't know me in "real" life, I get bored quite easily. The toys that I currently have in my house are no exception to that rule. So with a coupon and gift card in hand Wayne, Z and I, headed out for some toy purchases. One big perk to knowing I am going to have two boys is that now I feel validated in spending money on even more gadgets for them to play with. Zach is a very curious and hands on kid, so I wanted to get him something new for him to play with. I settled on a new cash register toy, since I still couldn't find a tool set that is age appropriate and creative, and a few new bath toys(All made by Fisher Price):

He loves them both. But nothing could prepare us for Zach instantaneous love for this little beauty:

Now, as I've stated in previous posts Zach loves phones, and he loves pressing the buttons on real phones and listening to them beep. This phone not only beeps when you dial, but it plays songs when you push the green button. He was in love, the only problem was it was pink. Here I was in the aisle saying, "Wayne we need to get it for him, it makes him so happy!", while Wayne retorted, "Amy...it's pink. He's a boy not a girl." "So what?" I said.

"You can't give a boy a pink phone, lets see if they have one in a different color?"

So off we went to customer service. A young gun rep was there, and I asked whether there was a different color of the phone, but there wasn't. I said, "Who cares, its pink, he likes it, does it really matter?." and the macho sales rep said, "Yes, you can't get a boy a pink phone." Great two on one. So we went off in search of a "guy" phone.

Three options presented themselves. One was an Elmo phone which didn't beep, flip open, or play music. Another was a Handy Manny phone that spoke in English and Spanish and was for ages 3-5. Um...I don't think so! The last was a red phone with some penguins on it. The Wonder Pets or something.

This phone seemed like a compromise, but Zach didn't love it (When I say he loved a phone I mean he smiled and laughed and said hello to it, danced to its music, and clutched the box in his hands.) This option also played one of the most obnoxious songs I've ever heard when it was "ringing". I looked at Wayne and said..."I don't think so."

I said, "Let Zach decide." and Wayne "agreed" and so we gave him the Elmo phone or the pink flip phone. He once again took to the Fisher Price phone. Wayne was like..."I can't Amy, its not right." I was like, "Fine you take it away from him then." and this is what happened:

Wayne: (holding out hand) Zach give Daddy the phone!

Zach: (clutching the phone to his chest) NO!

Wayne: (patiently with hand outstretched) Zach give it back, we aren't going to get it!

Zach: (now practically hugging the phone to him as though it were his lifeline, sadness building in his voice) NO!

Wayne: (reaches out to take the box)

Zach: (Wiggling out of his father's reach, looks his father right in the eye, and with a hint of desperation and pain in his voice.) NO!

Wayne: (looking to me for help, finally shrugging and then smiling) OK, Zach you can get the phone.

Zach: (beaming from ear to ear, goes back to playing with the phone)

Wayne to Me: We have to make the phone more mannish though.

So off we go in search of a way to "man up" the phone. We found ourselves in the sticker department and Wayne picked the most masculine theme he could find. What was it you ask? TRANSFORMERS! Let's be honest people nothing says guy quite like cars which are aliens, and action!

And so from a little boy's love of a pink phone was born...THE MAN PHONE

You'll notice even the inside got a little Autobots sticker. I have two things to say, One is compromise is a beautiful thing, and Zach is enjoying his new phone in the comfort of his own home, and two, Thank God I had a brother to help prepare me just a little for what raising two boys is going to be like. Thanks Nick for allowing me to play Transformers with you, since Barbies don't seem like they are in my (near) future.