::oh, max::

 Max.  That boy just seriously makes my soul ache from him cuteness.

I have a Christmas story about him that I really want to remember when I am old.  It all starts with a little boy and too much TV.  All these commercials are perfectly designed to touch his little heart.  He had fallen in love with the Hot Wheels Car Maker.  He told me in early November that he wanted one.  I got on Amazon and it had mixed reviews.  One of the big problems with it was that several reviews said it wasn't good for little boys that were "really active" AKA - cray cray  AKA - Max.  The toy requires an adult to help the kid and there is a ten minute or so waiting time while the mold heats up and cools down.  I didn't think it sounded like a good toy for Mr Max.

Then we went to see Santa and the only thing Max asked him for was the Hot Wheels Maker.  Still I ignored it.  I figured some one else in the family was going to buy it for him.

Then we get down to three days before Christmas day.  Max tells me that he just can't wait to open his Hot Wheels Maker.  I tell him he may not get everything on his list.  He tells me that his list only had five things on it and the Hot Wheels Maker was the number one thing on it, and he asked Santa for it in person.  He told me he was pretty sure he would get it.  I reminded him that his birthday is only one month after Christmas and that he could ask for him birthday what he didn't get for Christmas.  He actually winked at me, because he was so confident that Santa was going to hook him up.  That's when I text the family and realized I had to find this crazy toy. 

Then we are down to two days before Christmas.  A toy that was literally on every single shelf in the city was now out of stock.  EVERYWHERE!  It was like trying to find a Cabbage Patch Doll in the early 80's.  Gone.  I even tried Craigslist because I was totally willing to pay a scalper by this point.  Nothing.  No store in the state of Indiana had this toy.  Amazon had it with Xmas day delivery but it was almost $200 dollars and had to be ordered by 3pm.  I just couldn't do it.

That night Max and I laid in bed together talking about our day.  He was falling asleep, and I swear I am not making this up - he whispered "Hotwheels Car Maker".  I asked him what he said and he woke up and looked at me and said, "I was just thinking about opening my Car Maker on Christmas morning.  I just can't wait to see it!"  And I melted into a puddle.  I regretted not getting that darn thing on Amazon early that day.  Super cheap Brooke regretting not buying a TWO HUNDRED DOLLAR TOY!!!!!  I had lost my mind.  I put him to bed and spend another hour researching every store in the state.  Still no luck.

The next day was Christmas Eve.  We went to Josh's parents.  Josh had come up with the idea that we would order the toy on Amazon and give Max a picture of it.  Telling him it would arrive soon.  We even talked Emma into backing us up.  We got to his parents and used his brothers Amazon prime to order it.  It would arrive a few days after Christmas.  It wasn't perfect but it was a solution I could live with.

I stole my sister in-law and we made a quick store run to buy some stocking candy.  We were slowly shopping around and enjoying each others company.  As we walked by the Hot Wheels section I said - "Let's just check and make sure they don't have that F-ing toy."  I had literally called this store myself three times.  My Father in-law had checked for himself that morning.  But guess what was sitting on the bottom shelf?

 

right when I found it

One magical Hot Wheels Car Maker.   Just one.  All alone and not showing up on the stores inventory sheets.  Not there that morning.  One perfect unopened miracle of a flipping toy.  I teared up.  Jamie and I hugged and jumped up and down.  We celebrated.  

I bought that damn thing.  I didn't even look at the price tag.  I actually held it in my arms for the rest of the shopping trip because I was worried someone would take it out of my cart.  I was willing to brawl over it.  I read the box over and over because I just couldn't believe it was actually the toy I wanted.

I snuck it home and gave it to Santa to put under the tree.  And when he opened it - he stepped right up to the plate and gave me exactly the reaction I was looking for.  Video below.
 

Then we opened the box and actually played with it.  He really does like it.  It's actually a pretty fun toy.  He very calmly waits for the toy to do its job.  It was worth the whole adventure.   Just like it must have been worth it when my parents bought our off the back of a truck African American dolls in the 80's.