Lily Sez: Pimp My Jumperoo

We decided this weekend that it was nigh time for Lily to graduate to the next level of baby toy. Well, baby furniture, really (you’ll see what I mean in a moment). You see, she’s starting to become bored in her swing and her bouncy seat is really only useful now as a comfy recliner from which she watches Baby Einstein on TV (she hasn’t mastered full use of the remote yet, however). Because of her reflux, she can’t lay flat on her back to get the full playmat or pack-n-play experience, and Dad’s back can only take so much of holding the little girl while they tour the house to look at all of Lily’s favorite ‘stuff’. There are walks downtown so that the queen can waive to her subjects from her stroller and visit with her growing fan club, but Dad and baby have to come home eventually. She likes to chatter and sing and make faces back and forth with Mom and Dad, but as much fun as that is, like every other activity with a four-month-old, it too only lasts so long. So, for Lily’s added amusement and – so the advertisers promise – her motor skill development, we resigned ourselves to becoming the owners of a new jumper or exersaucer. You know, one of those overwhelming sensory experiences where the baby is plopped down in the middle of a dizzying array of brightly colored animals and teethers and lights and noise makers while their little feet busily thump-thump, and their little legs happily jump-jump below. With baby in tow, Mom, Dad and brother Luke made the pilgrimage on a beautiful spring day to that baby mecca, Babies R US. We were an amusing little entourage, I’m sure! The four of us perused all of the choices, and then, in true Harper family style, we loudly vetted each toy. Everyone had an opinion. The seat in this one was too hard, the toys on that one were too boring, this one was too pink, that one was too overwhelming, we think the girl might prefer one that bounces instead of one that rocks, and so on. We finally narrowed down the selection and then the real fun began. We let a drooling and somewhat confused Lily test drive the finalists, much to the dismay of the sales people, I’m sure. But we came out with a clear winner as a result. The Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo came home with us and Lily has been having herself a grand old time ever since.