Sorry for the interruption

Several people have asked us for ideas for birthday gifts for Otter's upcoming second birthday. I have fumbled in response and didn't have much in the way of suggestions. This of course is because the most honest answer is this child is beyond blessed, materially speaking, thanks to his many generous friends and family, and needs nothing. Plus our house is flat out overstuffed (our fault, not his, but we're working on it).

That said, for those of you who are asking, here's what he loves right now:

• the alphabet,
• counting (okay, yes, he skips eleven. G thinks Otter thinks it's seven again, and why include it twice? But otherwise he count count and gets lost somewhere between 14 and 18.)
  
• books,
• music,
• and trains.

So he'd be likely to love:

• any books you see that you like about any of those subjects
• any music you love--we have some Dan Zanes and a couple kids' Putumayo CDs but not that much else in kids' music, or in jazz, ragtime, and world music, all of which he likes lots
  
• any DVD (not videotapes as we have no VCR in the living room) about trains or music, especially nonfiction
  

We're avoiding Thomas the Train stuff (all the engines except one are boys! Bleah!) and we have lots of Sesame Street and Scholastic DVDs, so that's covered.

He has a lovely wooden train set (I think it's Brio) from his dad's mom's family, and his favorite part is the tunnel, of course. He's getting pretty good at assembling the track himself (better than I am, I think).

He has a wooden drum, a tambourine, a xylophone, and so on; he does love the kids' bongos at our local toy store--I think they might be Remo brand?

Because of the new small one on the way, even though Otter's approaching 2, it's easier if you avoid anything that says "choking hazard" or "small parts; not for children under 3."