Yet another whiny post about my babies growing up...

If this doesn't strike fear into your heart, nothing will!

Ha!  It's just how Jeremy has taught his girl to play with Littlest Pet Shop toys!

Waaaay back when Abby was an impressionable little 7 year old, Jeremy would play LPS with her all the day long.  I guess somewhere between making little doggies talking to each other and lulling into a coma, Jeremy figured out a solution to a problem...How can one play with these obviously girly toys AND enjoy himself at the same time?  Why, you can just teach said impressionable child how to construct and carry out a little pink WAR!  They would sit opposite each other, using the buildings as shelters.  Then they would place the animals where they could be targets and shoot at each others set ups with contraband** rubber bands, trying to hit and knock down the little animals.  This would go on literally for hours, with the two of them laughing and having a blast!

So, now I get to the growing up part.  Recently Abby has noticed a difficulty in keeping her room clean and has been wanting more space for her American Girl things.  She (on her own!) came to me one day and said that she thought that it might be time to get rid of the LPS.  So after she went through them, pulling out the animals she couldn't bear to be without, I helped her list them on Craigslist.  It took no time for somebody to snatch up her super cool collection.  She was happy to have the money, but so sad to sell them.  I admit, it broke my heart too.  It felt like she was selling the last of her childhood.  (Not to be overly dramatic, but it is right after her 13th birthday!)  She made a really tough, grown up decision and it was both inspiring and painful to watch her get teary eyed over them.

I love my girl.  I'm not ready for her to grow up.  It feels like I just got her.



**Chewy the Cat used to eat any rubber band she could find.  So for MANY years, I was in the habit of throwing away EVERY rubber band I could find!  The fact that they could even get this game started was a miracle!