5 Non-toy Toys Baby Wants to Play With

The boys recently started grabbing for things, some would even call it lunging. They grab whatever we're holding or eating and feel entitled to taking whatever the other baby is holding or playing with. It's going to be a long few toddler-hood years ahead of us if this behavior continues. I have already had to break up several "fights" in which Emmett is voraciously swinging a toy and smacks Oliver in the head... or to get him back, Oliver lunges at Emmett's toy, takes it and stuffs it in his mouth. Cue breakdown from Emmett. You get the picture. They're barely mobile and I'm already spending a good portion of my day playing referee to these babies. 

No matter how many toys, stuffed animals, or brightly colored objects you place in front of your 6 month old, I guarantee you that they are wanting something just slightly out of their reach. And something that just slightly belongs to you. I've listed 5 of the boys' favorite non-toy toys that they LOVE to play with.

1. Cell phones. These things are fascinating. They light up. They make noise. They can be grasped easily by two little hands. Andy even downloaded a kid's app on his phone that the boys can use - think lots of bright colors - that securely blocks them from calling China, setting a new password on his phone, or purchasing things from Amazon. If we're not willing to part with our phones, we either have to make sure the boys (Oliver, specifically) do not see them... or we have to give them the case on the phone - which is just as good sometimes!

2. Hair. The boys are entranced by my long, wavy hair. They're equally fascinated by Andy's facial hair, so I'm not sure it's much of a compliment. Wear your hair up around a 6 month old or be prepared to feel pain. You have been fairly warned, so do not yell at me when my baby pulls a chunk of your long locks right out of your head.

3. Glasses. I'm at the point of considering getting contacts and it pains me, because I love wearing glasses. I clean my glasses 235,750 times a day, thanks to these babies. Approximately. I'm always living in constant fear that they will hit me in the face, shatter the lenses and rupture my eyeballs. No big deal...just some freaky Final Destination-esque accident and I'll be blind. Occasionally my glasses get swiped right off of my face and stuffed in a mouth. These kids are quick and efficient!

4. Anything you're eating. If they see you eating it, they want it. They will stare you down while you're eating in the most awkward way. They will reach, grab, smack, scream and cry until you give them something off of your plate. We're going to look into a nice plastic set of dishes to use until these kids are well into their teenage years because we've had a few incidents. And by incidents, I mean baby lunging at a taco salad. Or baby feeling entitled to spaghetti.

5. Cats. Our cats used to feel safe and secure in our household. Then we brought home two strangely smelling, loud, attention-hogging "cats" and they were confused. Only the balls-iest of the ballsy will go near the boys. Junior and Bubsy are good playmates for them and they tolerate the boys "petting" them, screaming at them and just generally being babies. Bailey stays far, far away. At all times. She also, coincidentally, has all of her fur intact.

Is there anything that's not technically a toy that your kids use at toys at this age? I feel like they only play with about half of their actual toys and then spend the rest of their time trying to get their hands on whatever I'm using!