Never too young to kick things in the head

I read Jenn's "What do I,the boy-expert, buy for a boy baby again?" post and laughed and posted it and then got to thinking, hey, I actually have an answer for this! I've given clothes to the last few friend-babies born, too, but both times I think it was partly because I didn't plan ahead or have time to get to the store that carries Manhattan Toy Company products before visiting. I love baby clothes but you have to admit that new parents get tons of them, many of which are the wrong size (newborn size for an eight-pounder who will be out of them in a week, huge fleecies with feet which will fit come August) or too formal for a person who spits up a lot, or just not necessary. Nobody really needs them. Every (new) body needs one of these, though:

Or, if anything, even more urgently, one of these:

It's Manhattan Toy's Jingle Jungle Chiming Ladybug Ball, but we called it the Kickity Bug and it's one of only two infant toys I'm keeping to sigh over later when my kids are clompy and pimply and mean to me. Why is it so great? Even their own web site gets it wrong-- the Kickity bug is not for rolling around in their chubby little hands, it's for kicking around with their chubby little feet. Which they can control months before they can do anything on purpose with their adorably useless starfish-shaped hands. While still in the "boneless sacks of cuteness" phase, they can kick the bug and be rewarded by a sweet chiming sound, which keeps them motivated and busy for longer than you might credit if you haven't played with babies much. I swear this thing taught my babies cause and effect. And it's cute. And inexpensive. So next time you need to bring a baby something, forget the onesies. He has onesies. Bring a kickity thing. The parents, at least, will treasure it forever.

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