Gifts for a three year old

How awful is it that it is 5 weeks from my son's third birthday and I haven't any idea what to get him?

Ok, so I have a couple ideas, and as of today, I ordered them. Toy Story the double DVD Deluxe set and a metal Tonka tractor thing for $15 each.

He is all about transportation vehicles right now. And if they haul something (dirt, lots of people or a bed full of nearly anything), all the better. He has a dump truck that is about the freakiest thing ever. My dad sent it to him with the caveat that if he didn't like it, to give it away, no offense taken. The little boy who had it before was scared to bits by it. Truth be told, it scares me. It is a yellow dump truck with a head on top and glowing red eyes, and it speaks. And it is very nearly Leif's favorite toy right now. I might like it a little more if Leif quit bringing it into the house full of dirt.

I perused the toys the other day at Walmart where I went to pick up AB's Father's Day present. Nothing jumped out at me. Partly because everything looked so flimsy. Partly because I have this ideal in my head that Leif will tell us what he wants (so far he tells us he wants a birthday cake for his birthday). And partly because Leif was with me and the few things he did want... I just bought (a trio of gardening tools for $1.97, a squirt gun for $1 and a Matchbox fire truck), which AB later chastized me for.

The best score this week was a wooden rocking horse at a garage sale I drove by for $15. After K made one for C, AB kept talking about doing the same. Not surprisingly it hasn't happened due to the huge number of other projects I have had AB tackling over the last year or so. Leif loves it. AB says we should have saved it for his birthday, and he might be right, except that he will so quickly grow out of it at this point that I want to maximize his use. (Not like we won't have another little being who will grow into it far too soon.)

I am trying to resist the urge to go overboard for his birthday. To take advantage of this year when all he wants is a tractor that digs in the dirt. Yet, I can't help but think he "needs" more. I will squash that urge... after all, he is getting a big, not so inexpensive birthday party.