Toy car invasion

The Queensland school holidays have begun, and with it the invasion of toy cars throughout my house.

Over the next two weeks there will be races, crashes, and elaborate scenarios acted out. Heroic deeds, and epic cops'n'robber car chases. Construction sites, car shows, and simulated engine noise. Cars will be launched down neverending orange Hotwheels tracks, jumped through flaming (plastic) rings and sharks teeth, and loop-de-looped until their little plastic drivers are too dizzy to go on.

And then my little car fanatic will head back to school. The house will turn quiet again, while I find Volkswagons in the washing basket and a Dodge Charger in the dog's bed. There will be a random assortment of Fords and Holdens by the bathtub, colour-change paint jobs parked in the fridge, and wild looking concept vehicles stuck between the lounge cushions.

And with each discovery I'll probably groan out loud about how toys should be put away properly and why does Mum always have to do the tidying up. On the inside though I'll be remembering how much fun he had over the holidays, how nice it was to have him at home and to hear him laughing and playing and imagining. And I might also feel a little sad, thinking that he'll only be this age for a short while longer and that one day the little cars will get put away and not come out to play again. But not yet. These holidays will still be filled with little toy cars and imaginary adventures.