More Christmas Stuff

I forgot that I promised to discuss the creepiest gift of this holiday season in the House of Abner. The winner, hands down, is a doll called Amazing Amanda. She should be called Amazing Amanda, long lost neice of Chucky. When she’s turned on, Amanda never stops talking . “I want pizza NOW!” “What’s my name, Mommy?” “I need to go potty!” Then Ashley places Amanda on this little plastic potty…which proceeds to make pee sounds, trickling into the bowl. Amanda also responds to certain phrases. It’s weird. I’m waiting to hear Amanda at 2Am say, “Amanda doesn’t like to be turned off…”

Ashley likes the doll, but she plays with it more turned off — which is totally fine by me.

We also bought Ash some board games which we’re having a blast with: Clue Jr. and Monopoly Jr. are both great board games for youngsters. Ashley is five and has no trouble playing them, with a little assistance. I’m a big board game fan, and I can’t wait for Ashley to get to the age that she can play some of the more complex games out there. She went to the mall with me last month and begged me to buy the board game version of DOOM because she thought the monster on the cover looked “cool and scary.” I think I’ll wait for that one..

By far the hit of the season, though, is the Air Hockey table. My dad is convinced this was more of a gift for me than Ashley but I can’t get Ashley away from this thing. I got it on sale at Toys R Us back in November for $59.99 and it’s been a huge, huge hit.

I’m planning a house warming party this spring and hopefully Todd and Dan can make it here for a weekend. I’ll own them on this thing.