Legos; a question of creativity vs ability

When I was younger, I asked Santa for Legos, and was given a lavender and pink set that allowed me to build -wait for it- a nursery.  Apparently the manufacturers of Lego, and my parents, assumed I only wanted a baby girl.  Baby cradles with hearts, high chairs, even little pink rocking chairs for mom to sit in while rocking the baby to sleep.  Meanwhile, I wanted the primary color blocks that my brother had.  Was this all that was expected of me, pink girly toys?  Were my parents to blame for trying to generate an obvious separation between my brothers and my combined our toys, or was Lego trying to tell me that I could only be a 'Mommy' not an architect or engineer?  Was lego stifling my ability to learn to build my own creations rather than providing me with specific instructions on how to construct their designs?  So many questions.

Over the last 20-some years I haven't found a satisfactory answer, but I have found myself still bitter over the idea that my brother could have been an architect, but I was only destined to be a Mom.  Recently, I was at a toy store picking out a Lego toy set with a friend and noticed that they don't even sell those tubs of simple lego blocks anymore.  No longer are children challenged to build a house without instructions.  Four wheels and an array of blocks and you have a car.  I could build anything from a palm tree to a pet dog the Eiffel tower or a grand mansion on a cliff.  But now, you have to have the 'set' in order to construct your fantasy toy.  Don't worry, instructions suitable for a 12+ year old provided.  Granted, like in baking or driving a car, the ability to follow instructions is an unmistakably important skill in child development.  I'm not belittling the idea to teach children to use their cognitive skills along with their eye/hand coordination.  What I am questioning is, what happened to using your imagination?  What happened to making a master piece, showing your parents and having them praise you for your unique interpretation of.... a fire engine??  Are children no longer challenged to look at the world outside of a pre-constructed box set?  Are they all future computer programmers, but no painters?  Is the ability to follow instructions more important than developing a perspective and personality.

I have no answers for these questions.  Perhaps my parents bought the lavender and pink legos because they knew they were my favorite colors.  Perhaps they never caught on that my brother never learned to share.  Perhaps, had I been given my own set of blocks, I would be writing this as an architect (which was an early dream I had as a child) rather than a pending Mom.

I've asked my husband his thoughts on the subject (after suggesting that we create a 'Lego Wall' for our future sons bedroom - just think of the possibilities.  BTW, he said no.  Think of the mess and choking hazards.)  As a child, he apparently had a whole basement dedicated to his lego construction site.  Apparently, a relative of his sat down with him and build some elaborate set and submitted it to a lego competition (he didn't win - obviously the real reason for declining my Lego wall idea).  He was given the possibilities to use his imagination and build a city full of dinosaurs and space ships and sky scrapers all without detailed instructions other than the encouragement (and supervision) of an adult. Now, 20 some years later, he possesses that confidence to think outside of the box and find unique solutions to problems.  No, hes not an Architect or Engineer, but he can do more than follow instructions.

So, what I want for my son is to never stifle his creativity and ability to think outside the box and build whatever his imagination drives him to build.  I want to give him all the ordinary rectangle lego blocks and see what he comes up with.  My husband, on the other hand, believes it more important to give him a box set of legos and have build it per the instructions.  So, whos right?

Bump Watch

Baby watch 2013.  

How far along?  22 weeks, 4 days.  

Total weight gain/measurements: Still not into weighing myself.  I'm guessing I'm about where I was before I got pregnant (lost a lot the first trimester).  I'll find out next week how much I've gained.

Maternity clothes: I just ordered two pair of maternity jeans - waiting impatiently for them to arrive.  My first pair is cutting off my circulation.  Why cant we all just live in yoga pants?  Oh right, professionalism.  I'm guessing I'm almost to the point of someone telling me that I've lost the privilege and I no longer have the right to wear them.  I value those honest people.  People tell me that, please, when I need reminders.  

Stretch marks: I'm not sure what I think about this yet.  I noticed the other day that I'm starting to get those white scratchy marks on my sides.  I bought the Palmers Cocoa Butter, but I need to get into the habit of putting it on.  The only problem is, its cold outside, so I want to put clothes on as soon as I'm out of the shower.  Being all lotion'd up puts at least a 20 minute delay on this.  Oh well, if/when I get stretch marks, I'll just tell people their my "battle wounds" that I've earned over a lifetime.  Well earned..  

Sleep: Its getting worse.  If my pillow-top manages to stay secured to the mattress after this pregnancy, I will be extremely impressed.  Many times during the night do I grab onto the side of the pillow-top and pull myself into a different position.  I feel like a 400 pound walrus.  Mobility and comfortability don't seem to be my friends at the moment.  

Best moment this week: Brandon beat beat beating away in my uterus to Michael Jackson in the car.  Or the fact that I wasn't looked at weirdly in the store when filling my cart with uber junk food on Saturday.  Super Bowl weekend stock up is just as good as the second trimester stock up.  Chips, ice cream, yogurt, ginger ail, mixed veggies...  

Miss anything? Normal pants, oh how I miss you.  I dont need my size 8 skinny jeans back (right now).. anything with a button that doesnt make me want to saw off my stomach will work.  

Movement: Brandon and I have a little game we play in the morning.  I push in a spot on my lower stomach to wake up him, and he kicks me back in the same place to say good morning.  we go back and forth for a while before he lets me go back to sleep.  He also seems to get all excited when Michael comes home.  

Food cravings: Rice Crispy Treats.. the usual.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nasty Nastiness in my mouth.  The idea of dairy..

Gender:  Boy.  Besides the cute flowery headbands and leggings, I'm still excited its a boy.  

Labour signs: Nope.  

Symptoms: Something called Round Ligament pains began yesterday.  This morning I woke up with shooting pains everytime I moved.  About an hour into complaining, Michael grabbed the computer and Web MD-diagnosed me only to read about my exact symptoms and to tell me its normal.  

Belly button in or out? In.  I'm totally disgusted at the idea that it will pop out.  

Wedding rings on or off? On.. but its freezing outside, so my fingers have gotten skinnier.  Hmm.. I should get a manicure.

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy for the most part.  

Looking forward to: My doctors appointment next week.  Never in my life have I planned to ask my doctor to take some blood to make sure everything is good.

My baby's music taste

Driving home listening to satalite radio I learned a little about Brandon's music tastes. He loves House of Pain's 'Jump Around' (Hes Totally Michael's son), he doesn't respond whatsoever to No Doubt (questioning whether hes actually MY son), but then he started kicking to the beat of Michael Jackson (okay, hes my son). He also seemed to enjoy the 30 seconds of New Kids on the Block (my lil Bostonian).