The Gym

Let me just start by saying that I have the greatest Dad ever.

I've been (casually) looking for a decent play gym since...well...The Kid really, but now that Little Lady is here I REALLY wanted one.  But here's the catch.  I am the worlds most picky person when it comes to toys!  I want pretty.  I want good design.  I want as few plastic toys as I can manage without being the world's most boring mother.  (I'm not completely opposed.  We for sure have some ugly plastic toys that The Kid loves, but, ya...I'm on quantity control here).

Anyway...

 Here's an idea of what's out there right now:

Ew, right?  

I mean, okay, they look like a party and a half but...my eyeballs HURT looking at these things.  

So, a few months back I was cruising the web for wood play gyms when I found some awesome looking ones from a company called Cariboo.  But I knew I wasn't going to fork out $160 bones for it.  So what do I do?  I commission dear old Popsie to MAKE one for me.  Because whatever Lola wants, Lola gets.  (I'm so spoiled!!!)

I gave my dad a couple pictures/dimensions to go from and batted my eye-lashes at him.  I'm wicked I know.  But it worked.  

This is what Pops brought home for me, I mean Little Lady today.  In'it purdy?

It's made out of Maple (and something else I can't remember the name of) with brass fittings and a nice soft finish.  This thing is down right sexy!

Little Lady seemed to know what to do with it right away.  And The Kid wanted in on the action too.  He demanded he have all the plastic rings that were on there.  Poor little girl.  Once she's big/old enough to fight back The Kid won't know what hit him.

I hope it's not too bad a thing to have my Dad replicate something that probably has it's own patent or something.  Please don't take my Daddy to jail, he was only trying to make his little girl happy!!!

In case anyone is interested, I found this article from Apartment Therapy about wood baby gyms featuring one of the Cariboo gyms.  Happy reading.

Thanks Daddy!

Lady Chan

PS Here's a shout out to my sister, Lady J.  She helped.  Thanks TB!