The Best Toys in Life Are Free

I don't typically buy toys for Madeleine but every so often I see something in the pet section of a store that I'm positive she'll flip for, something I'm suddenly convinced she needs for proper environmental stimulation. I hurry home, feeling like such a good mommy and present the toy to her with great fanfare. She's always excited when it comes in a paper bag, but once I take the bag away she looks at the toy, gives it a sniff and walks away. I gently put it on the floor, still telling myself that she just needs time to get to know the toy. I'll even tiptoe out of the room and then peek around the doorway to watch her, in case my presence is hampering her play style. She'll flop down a few feet away from the toy to puzzle over the purpose of my offering. She stares at it for a few minutes and then, if she hasn't fallen asleep yet, she'll start giving herself a bath or she'll get up and find some dust bunny to play with instead. After a few days, and some not-so-gentle ribbing from my husband who can't believe I've fallen for the cat toy ploy yet again, I admit defeat and put the untouched toy on a pile of other rejected store-bought toys in the box of shame.

However, if I put a few dry spiral pastas in a paper sack and shake it around for her, she plays with it for days...