Racing Stripes

It was quite a weekend. My husband’s back went out, which meant a lot of two-on-one shenanigans, a few choice curses periodically under my breath, and an extra glass (or bottle) of wine at the end of the day. But… then… I received an awful bout of food poisoning, and with two blissfully, unrelentingly energetic toddlers, having both parents benched is just not an option. Thank goodness for family weekends with lots of cousins to keep them busy, or these two kids may have been bathing and putting themselves to bed.

However, despite the extra hands, there was also quite a bit more TV time and ALL of the toys in the closet were definitely taken out in an effort to persuade these two from venturing out to the sparkling pool in the backyard, and the candy colored floats, all of which just seemed a bit foggy to me. Chasing two-year-olds around a pool is terrifying without the added queasiness.

So what are my go-to-toys for extra distraction?

Well… Brody LOVES these cars, like, really loves them.

It doesn’t matter that their design is more retro than current, or that they are harder to carry in his pocket like the rest of his car collection. He will whip around the apartment with these race cars, making animated engine sounds for hours.

He is an avid car fan, which is an obvious toddler interest area, but his passion borders on obsession.

This toy is always a sure bet when trying to redirect Brody’s attention, or bargain for anything from brushing his teeth to taking a nap. I love these cars because they are simple in design, sleek enough to be displayed like sculpture, and they still function in the same way as his Matchbox collection. They are likely the first piece of plastic in our playroom that isn’t a total eyesore. And, despite the higher price tag, I just write it off as nursery decor, in addition to a functioning toy. They were originally a second birthday gift, and I think they make a great one given the loftier price point and polished design. Brody slept with his blue ‘retro race car,’ last night, despite the obvious discomfort from the hard shell and rubber wheels.