((Laura Nyquist continued from No Waiting On Checkstand Three))
Laura slowly moved down the aisles of The Treasure Chest Toy Store. Laura remembered this store very well from her childhood. Whenever she would go with friends or her parents to the mall, she always had to spend some time running down the aisles of The Treasure Chest. It was one of the coolest places for kids to go in Lone Pine Mall, and definitely in the top ten of best places for kids in Seattle (The Castle was still the king of it all).
It was a quaint little store. It had a pirate and nautical theme, something that really appealed to younger children, especially after the surge popularity of pirates brought on by the Pirates of the Carribbean series. The employees wore eyepatches, the floor was painted to look like sand, and the walls were covered in murals of pirate ships, waves, dolphins, mermaids, and other lore. The shelves that held the toy shelves were made of wood and painted a dark brown, while smaller displays around the store held toys in fake treasure chests. Although the store did carry name brand toys and other similar merchandise, the theme was enough to keep the store in the mind of young children.
Laura thought it was somewhat poetic that the store she adored as a child would be a store she shopped in for her own child. It was early February, and Sophia's birthday was on February 16th. Laura only had a few more days to find gifts for her little girl before the party her parents were throwing for their grandchild. She was already working on Sophia's party dress, a small pink little gown with a hand made baby hat, but she still wanted to find some toys to get her baby.
Still, it was a good day for Laura. She just got her paycheck, and after filling her car with gas, she was free to peruse the mall and find presents for her child. She was even glad that she didn't have to worry about Sophia today. Her mother, while horrified that Laura was pregnant at sixteen, soon took to the idea of having a grandchild very excitedly (after having a bit of anguish over being old enough to have a grandchild, that is). Lucille was the one who really took to Laura getting prepared to have a baby, such as watching her diet and her studies, but she also was the one who got into the preparation for the delivery. She was the one who convinced Laura to find out the gender of the baby when they went for an ultrasound, she headed the decoration for the nursery, and she was the one who was most excited to spend time with Sophia when Laura was busy.
Today, Lucille had taken Sophia with her while she visited her friend Anais. Anais's daughter recently had a baby as well, and while Anais's daughter was working, she would help look after the baby. So Lucille and Anais would sit in their lounge, gossiping and eating snacks while Sophia and the other baby played in a playpen. Laura was never too interested in what Lucille did at Anais's house, but as long as it meant that she was free to walk around the mall and have a day to herself, she was all for it. She could even look for things for herself if she wanted. She could always use a new coat, and Nordstrom had some nice coats on sale at this time. But the primary objective was Sophia's birthday, and The Treasure Chest was the best place to do so.
The only problem, was that Laura wasn't certain what to get Sophia. She had hoped to get ideas while walking around, but so far, there wasn't much that was leaping out at Laura.
"Man, when Sophia develops taste of her own, this will be easy," muttered Laura to herself.
Probably the biggest issue for Laura was the age of her baby. Yes, Sophia was only going to be turning one, but Laura still had to pay attention to what kind of toy she got Sophia, especially since Laura was still worried about choking hazards. When Sophia was seven months old, Laura's father thought she would be old enough to try and help her adjust to more grown up food, so he gave her a tiny bit of a pineapple chunk. Sophia didn't swallow it that easily, and Laura had a near panic attack. The idea that Sophia could choke on a teddy bear eye or get splinters on her tongue for chewing on a wooden block terrified Laura, so she decided to try and be careful with her purchases today.
Still, she really had no ideas. She decided to simply keep walking, and hopefully something would come to her. She did get a chai tea latte from Starbucks, so she at least had something to keep her warm as she slowly crept through the aisles.
Agh, what do I get her? Do they sell Sesame Street merchandise here? I know she really likes Abby Cadabby. Maybe they have a small doll of her. Man, I wish Beanie Babies were still a thing, that would be great to get her. Where are my Beanie Babies anyways? The attic? I ought to check later. But there's got to be something here for her!
Laura continued to drift through the aisles, hoping something would come to her mind.
I should have gotten a bigger latte. I might be here a while.
A Gold Dubloon for the First One to Find the Right Toy
(Matt Masters continued from Good Morning, Matt!)
The Treasure Chest Toy Store. Matt remembered this place. When he was a kid, he would go there whenever his mom took him to the mall. Nowadays, he mainly just drops by every once in a while to see if any new WWE action figures are in stock. He had made a habit of collecting them, and now his collection was at nine figures and growing.
But today, he wasn't here for sightseeing. He had a job to do.
The Center for Women and Children had given presents to all of the kids staying at the center on Christmas, but Matt didn't have enough money to contribute. Today, now that he's saved up some money, he's going to the toy store to buy the gifts that he had been unable to buy two months ago.
Matt moved steadily through the aisles, studying the shelves to make sure that he didn't miss anything on his list. Sure enough, he began to find the toys he needed. One by one, he would grab the toys off the shelf and place them in his basket. He was moving like a toy-shopping machine, mentally checking off each item as he placed it in the basket. My Little Pony playset? Check. Grave Digger toy monster truck? Check. Pokemon plush? Check. Harry Potter Legos? Check. Rey Mysterio action figure? Check.
As Matt checked off the last item on his mental list, an object on the shelf caught his eye. It was something that he hadn't expected to find, especially not now, while he was focused on something else. It was an item that he had been searching for for a few months now, and it was right in front of him.
A Mick Foley action figure.
Matt smiled as childhood memories sprung back into his mind. Running around with a sock on his hand, pretending to give evil wrestlers the Mandible Claw. Those were the days. His short memory trip only convinced him further that he needed this figure, and he wasn't about to argue with that feeling. Besides, he had saved up a lot of money, so he should be able to get a little treat for himself, right?
Speaking of treats, it's getting kind of close to lunchtime.
Placing the Foley action figure on top of his pile of gifts, Matt turned to walk towards the cashier. However, someone crossed his path. It was a girl from school. Laura Nyquist, if he remembered properly. She used to be a cheerleader, as he recalled, but quit after she got pregnant. Come to think of it, he had pretty much no idea what she was like now. She wasn't cheerleading anymore, he knew that for sure. She seemed like she was looking for something, and it wasn't in Matt's nature to not try to help someone. He casually walked over to her and asked her politely:
"Hey, are you looking for something? I mean, I might be able to help. I know this place pretty well."
The Treasure Chest Toy Store. Matt remembered this place. When he was a kid, he would go there whenever his mom took him to the mall. Nowadays, he mainly just drops by every once in a while to see if any new WWE action figures are in stock. He had made a habit of collecting them, and now his collection was at nine figures and growing.
But today, he wasn't here for sightseeing. He had a job to do.
The Center for Women and Children had given presents to all of the kids staying at the center on Christmas, but Matt didn't have enough money to contribute. Today, now that he's saved up some money, he's going to the toy store to buy the gifts that he had been unable to buy two months ago.
Matt moved steadily through the aisles, studying the shelves to make sure that he didn't miss anything on his list. Sure enough, he began to find the toys he needed. One by one, he would grab the toys off the shelf and place them in his basket. He was moving like a toy-shopping machine, mentally checking off each item as he placed it in the basket. My Little Pony playset? Check. Grave Digger toy monster truck? Check. Pokemon plush? Check. Harry Potter Legos? Check. Rey Mysterio action figure? Check.
As Matt checked off the last item on his mental list, an object on the shelf caught his eye. It was something that he hadn't expected to find, especially not now, while he was focused on something else. It was an item that he had been searching for for a few months now, and it was right in front of him.
A Mick Foley action figure.
Matt smiled as childhood memories sprung back into his mind. Running around with a sock on his hand, pretending to give evil wrestlers the Mandible Claw. Those were the days. His short memory trip only convinced him further that he needed this figure, and he wasn't about to argue with that feeling. Besides, he had saved up a lot of money, so he should be able to get a little treat for himself, right?
Speaking of treats, it's getting kind of close to lunchtime.
Placing the Foley action figure on top of his pile of gifts, Matt turned to walk towards the cashier. However, someone crossed his path. It was a girl from school. Laura Nyquist, if he remembered properly. She used to be a cheerleader, as he recalled, but quit after she got pregnant. Come to think of it, he had pretty much no idea what she was like now. She wasn't cheerleading anymore, he knew that for sure. She seemed like she was looking for something, and it wasn't in Matt's nature to not try to help someone. He casually walked over to her and asked her politely:
"Hey, are you looking for something? I mean, I might be able to help. I know this place pretty well."
Man, if I actually understood the appeal of the My Little Pony series, I might consider exposing Sophia to it. Still, what should I get her? Would she like Pokemon? Maybe I should just go for the Disney route. Do they have plushes of some of the princesses?
"Hey, are you looking for something? I mean, I might be able to help. I know this place pretty well."
"Huh?"
Laura turned around and saw Matt Masters standing beside her. She never associated with Matt to much. She heard he was into wrestling (Man, we have a lot of fighters at our school. Morgan, Abbate, Snicket, Mitchellson, Emerson, Torres, Langdon, Webster, Komorowski, Rourke, Vasconcelos. We could start a militia if we wanted. Wonder what the appeal is?), and also that he was into volunteering and helping others. She never talked to him much, but she had to admit he was kind of cute. Looks like this Prince Charming was interested in helping this damsel.
"Oh, hey Matt, just shopping."
Laura looked back at the shelf as she sipped her latte.
"I've got a girl who's turning one, and I want to get her some gifts. Not sure what she wants. I mean, you could get a one year old anything, not like they have any taste or preferences at this point in their life. I just want to be certain on what I get her."
Laura turned back to Matt. She spotted the basket around his arm and all the toys inside.
Looks like there's some hope for me after all.
"Seems like you can get into the mind of a child really easily. Tell me Mr. Masters, what would you get a one year old girl? Of course, it has to be age appropriate and not have any choking hazards or lead based paint. But, you seem cautious, so what would you recommend?"
"Hey, are you looking for something? I mean, I might be able to help. I know this place pretty well."
"Huh?"
Laura turned around and saw Matt Masters standing beside her. She never associated with Matt to much. She heard he was into wrestling (Man, we have a lot of fighters at our school. Morgan, Abbate, Snicket, Mitchellson, Emerson, Torres, Langdon, Webster, Komorowski, Rourke, Vasconcelos. We could start a militia if we wanted. Wonder what the appeal is?), and also that he was into volunteering and helping others. She never talked to him much, but she had to admit he was kind of cute. Looks like this Prince Charming was interested in helping this damsel.
"Oh, hey Matt, just shopping."
Laura looked back at the shelf as she sipped her latte.
"I've got a girl who's turning one, and I want to get her some gifts. Not sure what she wants. I mean, you could get a one year old anything, not like they have any taste or preferences at this point in their life. I just want to be certain on what I get her."
Laura turned back to Matt. She spotted the basket around his arm and all the toys inside.
Looks like there's some hope for me after all.
"Seems like you can get into the mind of a child really easily. Tell me Mr. Masters, what would you get a one year old girl? Of course, it has to be age appropriate and not have any choking hazards or lead based paint. But, you seem cautious, so what would you recommend?"
It turns out Laura was shopping for her baby. Matt probably should have guessed as such. Her daughter would be turning one soon, and she was trying to find age-appropriate toys for her. Tough job, especially seeing as babies can't really tell you what they like or don't like, so shopping for them can be sort of dificult. Matt could sympathize with that.
"Seems like you can get into the mind of a child really easily. Tell me Mr. Masters, what would you get for a one year old girl?"
Huh? Is she actually asking me my opinion on the matter?
Never one to let down someone in need, he looked studiously at the shelf, eyeing every toy that a baby might potentially enjoy, while still staying withing the boundaries of safety. He passed over a few toys that didn't fit the bill, before finding something that could work.
"Well, there are some soft plastic blocks right here with pictures of Winnie the Pooh characters on them." He picked the blocks off of the shelf. "They're too big to fit in her mouth, and they squish down when something puts pressure on them, so she can't hurt herself with them." He demonstrated by squeezing a block between his thumb and pointer finger. Sure enough, the block squished between them, and regained its shape when he released it.
Holding the blocks in one hand, he looked over the shelf once more before finding a second toy. He couldn't help but smile as he saw a very familiar plush on the shelf. He picked it gingerly off the shelf and held it in his other hand. It was a plush fox, with stubby little legs and tiny yarn eyes.
"This is also a really good one. It's eyes are actually yarn that's sewn into the plush, so there's no buttons to fall off. It's also softer than it looks. I remember my mom giving me one just like this when I was a kid. It was my favorite toy."
Matt looked to Laura for a response. He hoped that she would be happy with what he had picked.
"Seems like you can get into the mind of a child really easily. Tell me Mr. Masters, what would you get for a one year old girl?"
Huh? Is she actually asking me my opinion on the matter?
Never one to let down someone in need, he looked studiously at the shelf, eyeing every toy that a baby might potentially enjoy, while still staying withing the boundaries of safety. He passed over a few toys that didn't fit the bill, before finding something that could work.
"Well, there are some soft plastic blocks right here with pictures of Winnie the Pooh characters on them." He picked the blocks off of the shelf. "They're too big to fit in her mouth, and they squish down when something puts pressure on them, so she can't hurt herself with them." He demonstrated by squeezing a block between his thumb and pointer finger. Sure enough, the block squished between them, and regained its shape when he released it.
Holding the blocks in one hand, he looked over the shelf once more before finding a second toy. He couldn't help but smile as he saw a very familiar plush on the shelf. He picked it gingerly off the shelf and held it in his other hand. It was a plush fox, with stubby little legs and tiny yarn eyes.
"This is also a really good one. It's eyes are actually yarn that's sewn into the plush, so there's no buttons to fall off. It's also softer than it looks. I remember my mom giving me one just like this when I was a kid. It was my favorite toy."
Matt looked to Laura for a response. He hoped that she would be happy with what he had picked.
Laura watched Matt scan the shelves looking for ideas of toys.
Aw, he's actually helping me. He is charitable.
Matt grabbed a few blocks off the shelf and showed them to Laura. He explained how the Winnie the Pooh blocks would kind of squish if you applied pressure to them and easily snapped together.
"Well, blocks are a good idea," said Laura, "since blocks are a good way to teach shapes and colors to babies. What else do you think?"
Matt went back to the shelf and searched around. He then pulled a plush fox off the shelf and began to explain it to Laura.
"This is also a really good one. It's eyes are actually yarn that's sewn into the plush, so there's no buttons to fall off. It's also softer than it looks. I remember my mom giving me one just like this when I was a kid. It was my favorite toy."
"Huh, well that was what I was thinking about with plushes."
Laura studied the plush fox in Matt's hands. It was kind of cute. The eyes were made of yarn and stitched in, and unless Sophia really tore at it, they were clearly staying in place. The rest of the doll was pretty simple, orange colored fluff and full of plenty of cotton.
"I do like the fox a bit more than the blocks. So that's a start. I wonder what else I should get her. Hmmmm. Hang on, let me try something."
Laura set her latte down on the shelf and reached into her bag. She pulled out a sketchpad and a pen and flipped open to a blank page. Laura would usually carry a sketchpad with her in case she got some fashion inspiration and wanted to quickly sketch something out. Granted, Laura didn't always realize everything she drew, but she found the act of quickly drawing some clothes to help get her brain juices flowing.
Laura quickly began to sketch a small little girl on the paper. In a few strokes, Laura had drawn a dress on the girl and drew a stuffed fox in her arms.
"Here's an idea," said Laura, showing the sketch to Matt.
"This is Sophia on her birthday. That's the dress she is wearing for the party, just a nice pink dress with a but of tulle to fluff the skirt up a bit and a bit of hand stitching to make a few flowers near her neckline. Anyways, I think it might be a good idea to see what gifts go well with her. The fox is a good start because every girl looks cute with a stuffed animal, and foxes are so unique. It sets her apart to have her with a fox than it would be to give her a rabbit or a bear or a yellow duck. It might help if I can draw her with the toys and see what looks the most interesting with her."
I sincerely hope Matt has some idea of what I am trying to do. Boys generally know shit about fashion, but hopefully he gets that I'm trying to pair the toys to Sophia herself. The fox was a good find, but I wonder what else might work for her.
Aw, he's actually helping me. He is charitable.
Matt grabbed a few blocks off the shelf and showed them to Laura. He explained how the Winnie the Pooh blocks would kind of squish if you applied pressure to them and easily snapped together.
"Well, blocks are a good idea," said Laura, "since blocks are a good way to teach shapes and colors to babies. What else do you think?"
Matt went back to the shelf and searched around. He then pulled a plush fox off the shelf and began to explain it to Laura.
"This is also a really good one. It's eyes are actually yarn that's sewn into the plush, so there's no buttons to fall off. It's also softer than it looks. I remember my mom giving me one just like this when I was a kid. It was my favorite toy."
"Huh, well that was what I was thinking about with plushes."
Laura studied the plush fox in Matt's hands. It was kind of cute. The eyes were made of yarn and stitched in, and unless Sophia really tore at it, they were clearly staying in place. The rest of the doll was pretty simple, orange colored fluff and full of plenty of cotton.
"I do like the fox a bit more than the blocks. So that's a start. I wonder what else I should get her. Hmmmm. Hang on, let me try something."
Laura set her latte down on the shelf and reached into her bag. She pulled out a sketchpad and a pen and flipped open to a blank page. Laura would usually carry a sketchpad with her in case she got some fashion inspiration and wanted to quickly sketch something out. Granted, Laura didn't always realize everything she drew, but she found the act of quickly drawing some clothes to help get her brain juices flowing.
Laura quickly began to sketch a small little girl on the paper. In a few strokes, Laura had drawn a dress on the girl and drew a stuffed fox in her arms.
"Here's an idea," said Laura, showing the sketch to Matt.
"This is Sophia on her birthday. That's the dress she is wearing for the party, just a nice pink dress with a but of tulle to fluff the skirt up a bit and a bit of hand stitching to make a few flowers near her neckline. Anyways, I think it might be a good idea to see what gifts go well with her. The fox is a good start because every girl looks cute with a stuffed animal, and foxes are so unique. It sets her apart to have her with a fox than it would be to give her a rabbit or a bear or a yellow duck. It might help if I can draw her with the toys and see what looks the most interesting with her."
I sincerely hope Matt has some idea of what I am trying to do. Boys generally know shit about fashion, but hopefully he gets that I'm trying to pair the toys to Sophia herself. The fox was a good find, but I wonder what else might work for her.
Matt waited as Laura looked over the toys he picked. She thought the blocks were OK, and she seemed to like the fox, too.
"I do like the fox a bit more than the blocks. So that's a start. I wonder what else I should get her."
Responding to Laura's answer, Matt placed the blocks back on the shelf, but kept the fox in his hands.
Hmmmm. Hang on, let me try something.
Laura set down her latte, pulled a sketchpad out of her bag, and started to draw. Matt was somewhat surprised at this new development, as he had never seen someone spontaneously start sketching before. Whatever she was drawing, she seemed really focused on it, and Matt didn't want to interrupt her, so he waited for her to finish. Once Laura was done drawing, she showed her work to Matt. She had drawn a young girl in a dress holding a plush fox. He was surprised at how good the sketch was for being drawn in such a short time. Matt figured that the girl in the sketch must be her daughter, and the stuffed fox in the picture only served to prove his theory. Laura explained that this was a drawing of her daughter, who he now knew was named Sophia, on her birthday. Laura wanted to draw the toys into the picture with Sophia to see if the toys they chose would fit with her.
Matt nodded. "I think I get it. I'll find something."
He looked up and down the shelves once more, with the stuffed fox now along for the ride in his basket. After passing some toys that he had either previously rejected or were simply too old for Laura's daughter, he found a nice little treasure trove of goodies. He picked three toys off of the shelf and went back to Laura to present his findings.
"OK, first things first, I found this ball." Matt plucked a nice-sized white ball with pink stars out of his basket. "It can't fit in her mouth, it's filled with air, and it's made out of really strong rubber, so it won't break." He tapped the ball, and sure enough, it was hollow, and sounded quite sturdy.
Next he grabbed a set of colored shapes from the basket. "These are made to help babies learn shapes and colors. They aren't too small, they're made of plastic, and they have rounded edges, so there's no sharp corners."
He revealed the last toy in the basket, which was actually a set of board books. "Well, I got these because I heard that If you read to babies when they're really young, then they'll have an easier time learning to read when they're older."
Matt set the three toys on an empty area of the shelf, so that Laura would be able to look them over. Once again, he waited for her response.
"I do like the fox a bit more than the blocks. So that's a start. I wonder what else I should get her."
Responding to Laura's answer, Matt placed the blocks back on the shelf, but kept the fox in his hands.
Hmmmm. Hang on, let me try something.
Laura set down her latte, pulled a sketchpad out of her bag, and started to draw. Matt was somewhat surprised at this new development, as he had never seen someone spontaneously start sketching before. Whatever she was drawing, she seemed really focused on it, and Matt didn't want to interrupt her, so he waited for her to finish. Once Laura was done drawing, she showed her work to Matt. She had drawn a young girl in a dress holding a plush fox. He was surprised at how good the sketch was for being drawn in such a short time. Matt figured that the girl in the sketch must be her daughter, and the stuffed fox in the picture only served to prove his theory. Laura explained that this was a drawing of her daughter, who he now knew was named Sophia, on her birthday. Laura wanted to draw the toys into the picture with Sophia to see if the toys they chose would fit with her.
Matt nodded. "I think I get it. I'll find something."
He looked up and down the shelves once more, with the stuffed fox now along for the ride in his basket. After passing some toys that he had either previously rejected or were simply too old for Laura's daughter, he found a nice little treasure trove of goodies. He picked three toys off of the shelf and went back to Laura to present his findings.
"OK, first things first, I found this ball." Matt plucked a nice-sized white ball with pink stars out of his basket. "It can't fit in her mouth, it's filled with air, and it's made out of really strong rubber, so it won't break." He tapped the ball, and sure enough, it was hollow, and sounded quite sturdy.
Next he grabbed a set of colored shapes from the basket. "These are made to help babies learn shapes and colors. They aren't too small, they're made of plastic, and they have rounded edges, so there's no sharp corners."
He revealed the last toy in the basket, which was actually a set of board books. "Well, I got these because I heard that If you read to babies when they're really young, then they'll have an easier time learning to read when they're older."
Matt set the three toys on an empty area of the shelf, so that Laura would be able to look them over. Once again, he waited for her response.
((Alex Ripley continued from It's A-MAZE-ing!))
God, what would Nathan want?
Much like Laura, Alex had gone shopping for a one year old's birthday. To be specific, Nathan's birthday. It was coming up soon, next weekend to be precise! She had done a little bit of research on what toys worked for one-year olds, but it was still pretty difficult to figure out what exactly he would like. He was still too young to get a clear idea of his tastes, after all. And she was thinking something that he could like for several years to come. She didn't want to get him anything too baby-specific, since it seemed like he was growing fast! However, it had to be age appropriate. She didn't want her baby brother to get something with small parts he could choke on, for example. Mom and Dad, they wouldn't like that.
Nathan was growing like a weed, he was! It felt like just yesterday he was born. Now he was turning one, and soon he would be much older! Sometimes she couldn't wait until he got older. Some had told her that you could tell she was his older sister, because they looked somewhat alike. And already, he was starting to get what was known as the "Ripley Enthusiasm". He was growing to become a curious, energetic, and cheerful baby, all around
As Alex looked through the front of the store, she tried to think. She remembered that children his age need things to stimulate their minds. They grow to be curious about the world about them, and need toys that engage in that desire. So, what then? No small parts, easy for a small child to use, something small, relatively inexpensive, helps him learn...
She couldn't help but remember what this place was like a bit. Alex hadn't been in here since she was... god, she didn't know, in elementary or something! It sold a lot of pirate related things. Wait, if she bought something pirate-y from this store, does that mean he'd grow up to be like Sean? Alex smiled a bit at the thought. Maybe. God, she didn't know.
Alex soon came across a bin full of stuffed animals. Stuffed animals? Would that work? One did catch her eye, though. A red parrot, with an eye patch, peg-leg, and pirate's hat. Alex fished it out of the bin, and noticed a sticker on its wing. "Try me! I talk!", it said.
Well, couldn't hurt to oblige.
As she pressed its wing, the parrot began speaking from a voice box.
"Arr matey! We be sailing in tough waters now!" it called out in a parrot's voice clearly trying to be intimidating (but failing miserably in an adorable manner).
Alex couldn't help but smile a bit more. How cute! Seriously, she could get this for Nathan, and it would be amazing. Would be appropriate for him, though? She wasn't sure. Either way, it was one possibility on what kind of gift to get him.
However, she didn't even notice the two classmates only a few feet away from her.
God, what would Nathan want?
Much like Laura, Alex had gone shopping for a one year old's birthday. To be specific, Nathan's birthday. It was coming up soon, next weekend to be precise! She had done a little bit of research on what toys worked for one-year olds, but it was still pretty difficult to figure out what exactly he would like. He was still too young to get a clear idea of his tastes, after all. And she was thinking something that he could like for several years to come. She didn't want to get him anything too baby-specific, since it seemed like he was growing fast! However, it had to be age appropriate. She didn't want her baby brother to get something with small parts he could choke on, for example. Mom and Dad, they wouldn't like that.
Nathan was growing like a weed, he was! It felt like just yesterday he was born. Now he was turning one, and soon he would be much older! Sometimes she couldn't wait until he got older. Some had told her that you could tell she was his older sister, because they looked somewhat alike. And already, he was starting to get what was known as the "Ripley Enthusiasm". He was growing to become a curious, energetic, and cheerful baby, all around
As Alex looked through the front of the store, she tried to think. She remembered that children his age need things to stimulate their minds. They grow to be curious about the world about them, and need toys that engage in that desire. So, what then? No small parts, easy for a small child to use, something small, relatively inexpensive, helps him learn...
She couldn't help but remember what this place was like a bit. Alex hadn't been in here since she was... god, she didn't know, in elementary or something! It sold a lot of pirate related things. Wait, if she bought something pirate-y from this store, does that mean he'd grow up to be like Sean? Alex smiled a bit at the thought. Maybe. God, she didn't know.
Alex soon came across a bin full of stuffed animals. Stuffed animals? Would that work? One did catch her eye, though. A red parrot, with an eye patch, peg-leg, and pirate's hat. Alex fished it out of the bin, and noticed a sticker on its wing. "Try me! I talk!", it said.
Well, couldn't hurt to oblige.
As she pressed its wing, the parrot began speaking from a voice box.
"Arr matey! We be sailing in tough waters now!" it called out in a parrot's voice clearly trying to be intimidating (but failing miserably in an adorable manner).
Alex couldn't help but smile a bit more. How cute! Seriously, she could get this for Nathan, and it would be amazing. Would be appropriate for him, though? She wasn't sure. Either way, it was one possibility on what kind of gift to get him.
However, she didn't even notice the two classmates only a few feet away from her.
Laura felt surprised that Matt was going along with the sketch idea. Moments after she showed it to him, she realized how strange it was to try and actually pair the toys with an image of Sophia. Still, Matt was trying to help her, so she had to at least accept that he was trying to make the idea work.
The first thing Matt grabbed was a small rubber ball. The ball was cute, colored white with pink stars. Matt pointed out how the ball was too big to fit in an infant's mouth, plus the rubber was durable.
"Hm, well, we are getting to the point where we get her exercising, so teaching her to roll a ball might be good," Laura said as she began to draw the ball in the sketch. "Although, I do have to make sure she's careful with it."
The next toy Matt presented were a bunch of colored blocks. Laura understood why he grabbed them as he explained the dull edged, brightly colored, plastic blocks.
"Well, that does fit the color and shape thing I mentioned," she replied as she drew a few of the blocks next to the ball.
Laura looked at the sketch. She felt like she was drawing one of those police line ups. The way Sophia was standing (she could hardly stand now, but it was just easy to show the dress and get an idea for scale) next to a bunch of toys made it look like they were wanted for some childish crime, like stealing a cookie before dinner.
"Well, I got these because I heard that If you read to babies when they're really young, then they'll have an easier time learning to read when they're older."
Laura looked up and saw the books Matt was holding. They were those hard books that only had about eight or twelve pages and detailed simple actions like running over a hill or finding Easter eggs. Laura began to sketch one of the books in the picture.
"Yeah, reading comprehension is a good thing to teach a baby. Just speaking to the baby familiarizes them with the English language. Okay, let's see the picture."
Laura held the picture out to Matt. She took a quick sip from her latte before discussing the line up.
"Well, I'm pretty much sold on the fox because every little girl should have some kind of stuffed animal friend. Now, I do like the ball as well. It's a good size compared to her, plus the colors are cute. The blocks are nice as well, but I feel like they may be a bit too simple. As for the books, I totally think I should teach her to read, plus those books usually ring for cheap since they are easy to produce and sell."
Laura was silent as she deliberated. Suddenly, she heard a strange sound.
"Arr matey! We be sailing in tough waters now!"
Laura turned to the front of the store. She saw a girl holding a pirate parrot doll.
Oh, that's Alex Ripley. She's that nerdy girl who hangs out with geeky kids like Oswaldo Marx and Corey Esposito. Huh. Wonder what's she's doing here? Oh, right, the drawing.
"Well, I think I might take the fox and the ball," Laura said to Matt. "If I count the dress I'm sewing Soph', then I already got three gifts. Plus, there will be plenty of other people contributing, so I don't need to get too much. But the fox and the ball were good finds, so thank you very much."
Laura put her sketchpad back into her bag. She took the fox and ball from Matt and held them to her chest.
"So Matt, what are all those toys in your basket for? You shopping for a little kid's party?"
The first thing Matt grabbed was a small rubber ball. The ball was cute, colored white with pink stars. Matt pointed out how the ball was too big to fit in an infant's mouth, plus the rubber was durable.
"Hm, well, we are getting to the point where we get her exercising, so teaching her to roll a ball might be good," Laura said as she began to draw the ball in the sketch. "Although, I do have to make sure she's careful with it."
The next toy Matt presented were a bunch of colored blocks. Laura understood why he grabbed them as he explained the dull edged, brightly colored, plastic blocks.
"Well, that does fit the color and shape thing I mentioned," she replied as she drew a few of the blocks next to the ball.
Laura looked at the sketch. She felt like she was drawing one of those police line ups. The way Sophia was standing (she could hardly stand now, but it was just easy to show the dress and get an idea for scale) next to a bunch of toys made it look like they were wanted for some childish crime, like stealing a cookie before dinner.
"Well, I got these because I heard that If you read to babies when they're really young, then they'll have an easier time learning to read when they're older."
Laura looked up and saw the books Matt was holding. They were those hard books that only had about eight or twelve pages and detailed simple actions like running over a hill or finding Easter eggs. Laura began to sketch one of the books in the picture.
"Yeah, reading comprehension is a good thing to teach a baby. Just speaking to the baby familiarizes them with the English language. Okay, let's see the picture."
Laura held the picture out to Matt. She took a quick sip from her latte before discussing the line up.
"Well, I'm pretty much sold on the fox because every little girl should have some kind of stuffed animal friend. Now, I do like the ball as well. It's a good size compared to her, plus the colors are cute. The blocks are nice as well, but I feel like they may be a bit too simple. As for the books, I totally think I should teach her to read, plus those books usually ring for cheap since they are easy to produce and sell."
Laura was silent as she deliberated. Suddenly, she heard a strange sound.
"Arr matey! We be sailing in tough waters now!"
Laura turned to the front of the store. She saw a girl holding a pirate parrot doll.
Oh, that's Alex Ripley. She's that nerdy girl who hangs out with geeky kids like Oswaldo Marx and Corey Esposito. Huh. Wonder what's she's doing here? Oh, right, the drawing.
"Well, I think I might take the fox and the ball," Laura said to Matt. "If I count the dress I'm sewing Soph', then I already got three gifts. Plus, there will be plenty of other people contributing, so I don't need to get too much. But the fox and the ball were good finds, so thank you very much."
Laura put her sketchpad back into her bag. She took the fox and ball from Matt and held them to her chest.
"So Matt, what are all those toys in your basket for? You shopping for a little kid's party?"
Matt listened to what Laura had to say about each toy, and watched as she sketched some more between each critique. She seemed really focused on her sketch. Granted, she was using it to determine what to get Sophia for her birthday, albeit through a process that Matt still didn't totally understand. Eventually, she showed him her finished sketch, with all the toys he had shown her now present. She wanted the fox for sure, so that was one gift down. She liked the ball, but was a bit iffy on the blocks. She did agree that she should teach Sophia to read, however.
"Arr matey! We be sailing in tough waters now!"
That little outburst caught Matt's attention. He turned his head over to the source of the noise. It turned out to be Alex Ripley, another girl from school. Apparently she had set off one of the talking parrot toys that speak with hilariously bad pirate accents.
Well, that was...unexpected.
Matt's attention snapped back to Laura as soon as she began talking again. She was going to get the fox and the ball, so apparently he had been some help after all. He took the gifts that she didn't pick and placed them back on the shelf. She said that she didn't need to get too many gifts, because other people would be pitching in as well. Then she thanked him for helping her.
"You're welcome". It felt nice to be appreciated outside of home or work for once.
"So Matt, what are all the toys in your basket for? You shopping for a little kids party?"
Matt looked at the basket in his hand. He had almost forgotten about the reason he had come to the store in the first place.
"Well, no. It's not for a party." Matt began. He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "I volunteer at the Women's and Children's Center, and last Christmas everyone pitched in to buy presents for all the kids staying at the center. I didn't have any money at the time, so I wasn't able to help. I felt kinda guilty about it, so I've saved my money for the past month so that I could come here and get some toys for the kids. I'm gonna drop them off when I go by there this afternoon."
Matt picked the Mick Foley action figure off the top of the pile of toys. "This one, though, I'm getting for me. When I was a kid, I would watch him wrestle on TV all the time. He was practically one of my heroes growing up. When I saw it on the shelf, it kinda reminded me of being a kid again, you know? I'm probably gonna set it up on my desk at home, or something."
"Arr matey! We be sailing in tough waters now!"
That little outburst caught Matt's attention. He turned his head over to the source of the noise. It turned out to be Alex Ripley, another girl from school. Apparently she had set off one of the talking parrot toys that speak with hilariously bad pirate accents.
Well, that was...unexpected.
Matt's attention snapped back to Laura as soon as she began talking again. She was going to get the fox and the ball, so apparently he had been some help after all. He took the gifts that she didn't pick and placed them back on the shelf. She said that she didn't need to get too many gifts, because other people would be pitching in as well. Then she thanked him for helping her.
"You're welcome". It felt nice to be appreciated outside of home or work for once.
"So Matt, what are all the toys in your basket for? You shopping for a little kids party?"
Matt looked at the basket in his hand. He had almost forgotten about the reason he had come to the store in the first place.
"Well, no. It's not for a party." Matt began. He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "I volunteer at the Women's and Children's Center, and last Christmas everyone pitched in to buy presents for all the kids staying at the center. I didn't have any money at the time, so I wasn't able to help. I felt kinda guilty about it, so I've saved my money for the past month so that I could come here and get some toys for the kids. I'm gonna drop them off when I go by there this afternoon."
Matt picked the Mick Foley action figure off the top of the pile of toys. "This one, though, I'm getting for me. When I was a kid, I would watch him wrestle on TV all the time. He was practically one of my heroes growing up. When I saw it on the shelf, it kinda reminded me of being a kid again, you know? I'm probably gonna set it up on my desk at home, or something."
((Skipping Post Order for reasons that everyone is aware of))
Laura listened intently to what Matt had to say about the toys. She thought it was kind of cute that he still had a fascination with wrestler action figures. But hey, everyone has a guilty pleasure.
"Well, thanks for your help Matt," Laura said. "You really gave me a lot of good tips. You make sure those kids enjoy those toys."
Laura grabbed the fox, the ball, and her latte and made her way to the register. She handed the money to the cashier and took the bag from the counter.
As she walked away from The Treasure Chest, Laura felt really warm.
Sophia will love these toys. She's going to be a happy kid, I'm sure of it. Just think, today she's playing with rubber balls and stuffed foxes, and soon, she will be riding a bike, going to school, graduating college at the top of her class, and settling down. It's going to happen so quickly, but I will be there for it all.
Laura hurried out of Lone Pine Mall. She wanted to get home and see her baby. As she started the car, Laura smiled as she looked at the bag filled with toys on the floor of the passenger seat.
"She will love them."
Laura pulled out of the parking lot and hurried home. Nothing else mattered but getting home.
((Laura Nyquist: Happy))
Laura listened intently to what Matt had to say about the toys. She thought it was kind of cute that he still had a fascination with wrestler action figures. But hey, everyone has a guilty pleasure.
"Well, thanks for your help Matt," Laura said. "You really gave me a lot of good tips. You make sure those kids enjoy those toys."
Laura grabbed the fox, the ball, and her latte and made her way to the register. She handed the money to the cashier and took the bag from the counter.
As she walked away from The Treasure Chest, Laura felt really warm.
Sophia will love these toys. She's going to be a happy kid, I'm sure of it. Just think, today she's playing with rubber balls and stuffed foxes, and soon, she will be riding a bike, going to school, graduating college at the top of her class, and settling down. It's going to happen so quickly, but I will be there for it all.
Laura hurried out of Lone Pine Mall. She wanted to get home and see her baby. As she started the car, Laura smiled as she looked at the bag filled with toys on the floor of the passenger seat.
"She will love them."
Laura pulled out of the parking lot and hurried home. Nothing else mattered but getting home.
((Laura Nyquist: Happy))
((Sorry everyone. X_x))
Eeee. That was cute! Let's do that again!
Alex almost squeezed once more, only to actually look up and see that two of her classmates had looked at her. An awkward smile crawled across her face, replacing her look of amusement. Oh, look at that geek girl playing with the talking pirate parrot, they were probably thinking. That was Laura and Matt, correct? Laura was pregnant some time ago, if she remembered correctly. Some part of her did pity her, even if she used to be part of the "in-crowd" and apparently got that way by sleeping around. Still. One couldn't help but pity her a bit, really. But what, oh what, was she doing with Matt here? Probably baby-shopping, by her guess. But Matt? They didn't seem to be the kind of people to be buddy-bud with each other.
Thankfully, they went back to their own business, looking away.
Yeah. That was certainly awkward.
Anyways. The parrot would do fine! Seriously, all the cool big sisters were getting their little brothers talking parrots that are all pirate-y. Yeah, some part of her told her it would work fine! He'd love it, she was sure.
Perhaps she could look around a bit more, and-
"Shiver me timbers, matey!"
Alex looked down. She had accidentally pressed down again on the parrot's wing with her thumb, and it had spoken once more. Gah, she was making a bit of a fool of herself today, actually. Looking back up, she saw that Laura was leaving anyways.
Right. Actually, she should check out as well. The pirate parrot worked fine, and she didn't want to make a fool of herself much longer.
With that, she walked to the cashier, still feeling a little embarrassed.
As the cashier rang up the doll, he smiled at her, as if amused by what she was doing.
"Is that all?"
Alex tried her best to smile back. "Yeah, I guess so."
"Alright, that will be 7.99."
She fished out the appropriate amount of money, and placed it on the counter. It wasn't too expensive, thankfully.
"Thanks so much. Enjoy", he told her.
"No, thanks", she replied, and hastily went out.
Nathan would love it, she was sure! Even if it did embarrass her in front of her classmates. Seriously, the things one does for their own flesh and blood. He better like it!
((Alex Ripley continued in Dodge Brawl))
Eeee. That was cute! Let's do that again!
Alex almost squeezed once more, only to actually look up and see that two of her classmates had looked at her. An awkward smile crawled across her face, replacing her look of amusement. Oh, look at that geek girl playing with the talking pirate parrot, they were probably thinking. That was Laura and Matt, correct? Laura was pregnant some time ago, if she remembered correctly. Some part of her did pity her, even if she used to be part of the "in-crowd" and apparently got that way by sleeping around. Still. One couldn't help but pity her a bit, really. But what, oh what, was she doing with Matt here? Probably baby-shopping, by her guess. But Matt? They didn't seem to be the kind of people to be buddy-bud with each other.
Thankfully, they went back to their own business, looking away.
Yeah. That was certainly awkward.
Anyways. The parrot would do fine! Seriously, all the cool big sisters were getting their little brothers talking parrots that are all pirate-y. Yeah, some part of her told her it would work fine! He'd love it, she was sure.
Perhaps she could look around a bit more, and-
"Shiver me timbers, matey!"
Alex looked down. She had accidentally pressed down again on the parrot's wing with her thumb, and it had spoken once more. Gah, she was making a bit of a fool of herself today, actually. Looking back up, she saw that Laura was leaving anyways.
Right. Actually, she should check out as well. The pirate parrot worked fine, and she didn't want to make a fool of herself much longer.
With that, she walked to the cashier, still feeling a little embarrassed.
As the cashier rang up the doll, he smiled at her, as if amused by what she was doing.
"Is that all?"
Alex tried her best to smile back. "Yeah, I guess so."
"Alright, that will be 7.99."
She fished out the appropriate amount of money, and placed it on the counter. It wasn't too expensive, thankfully.
"Thanks so much. Enjoy", he told her.
"No, thanks", she replied, and hastily went out.
Nathan would love it, she was sure! Even if it did embarrass her in front of her classmates. Seriously, the things one does for their own flesh and blood. He better like it!
((Alex Ripley continued in Dodge Brawl))
Matt noticed Laura smiling at him while he explained his reasons for going to the toy store. Throughout the entire time that they had spent looking for toys, Matt had come to realize that every nasty rumor and slander that he had heard about Laura in the halls was false. She wasn't some sort of dirty human being. She was a good person. He could tell.
"Well, thanks for your help Matt, you really gave me a lot of good tips. You make sure those kids enjoy those toys."
"Thanks. You make sure that Sophia's the happiest kid in Seattle."
She's gonna be a great mom someday. I just know it.
As Laura left, Matt searched the shelves one last time for anything that he may have missed. Nothing came to mind, so he headed for the register. Looking around, he noticed that he was the only customer still in the store. Everyone else was already gone. He checked out everything in his basket and looked at the price. $45.78. Wow. Thank the Lord for those two months of saving.
"Is that all for today, sir?" The cashier asked him as he paid.
"Yeah." Matt responded with a smile.
Matt grabbed his bag of toys and left the Treasure Chest. After all, those toys weren't going to take themselves to the center.
(Matt Masters continued elsewhere...)
"Well, thanks for your help Matt, you really gave me a lot of good tips. You make sure those kids enjoy those toys."
"Thanks. You make sure that Sophia's the happiest kid in Seattle."
She's gonna be a great mom someday. I just know it.
As Laura left, Matt searched the shelves one last time for anything that he may have missed. Nothing came to mind, so he headed for the register. Looking around, he noticed that he was the only customer still in the store. Everyone else was already gone. He checked out everything in his basket and looked at the price. $45.78. Wow. Thank the Lord for those two months of saving.
"Is that all for today, sir?" The cashier asked him as he paid.
"Yeah." Matt responded with a smile.
Matt grabbed his bag of toys and left the Treasure Chest. After all, those toys weren't going to take themselves to the center.
(Matt Masters continued elsewhere...)