wii are family...

Last night, Boaz and I gave Samuel a Wii for his birthday. He's been pretty much drooling over them since he played one for the first time nearly a year ago and has been dutifully saving up his money. And Boaz and I have been pretty much smitten by them, as well. They're so sleek and cool looking, and so ridiculously fun to play.

So when I searched on them on craiglist and found one in good condition for a good price, we got it. Our boy was so surprised because not only was he not expecting it, but he knew that there weren't any in the stores, and the look on his face was priceless.

(It is really such a good thing that he doesn't know that seeing his expression of pure joy turns his parents into silly putty.)

The whole family made their Miis (your own Wii avatar, for those of you not in the know, and which we not so cleverly named Amii, Talii, Sammii, Boazii, and Boa (Cousin Noah)), and and then played round after round of Wii Sports, which was actually very fun for everyone--the players and the spectators. How novel!

Afterwards, Noah and Samuel found the Smash Brothers game that the guy we bought the console from threw in. It's rated T for crude humour and graphic violence, which it absolutely involves, as well as cute Mario figures to entice young children into participating in bloodsports and cartoon murder. WTF, Nintendo? Why is it necessary to include familiar cartoon figures in games not appropriate for children?

Samuel: Noah, you are so dead! I slayed you!
Me: (APPALLED) Samuel! Is there any reason why you think it's okay to say that? Also, don't you think that a game where you're just killing isn't appropriate?
Noah: It's okay, Aunt Amy... Look, my guy is applauding Samuel's guy, and I'm not actually dead. See? This game is teaching us about good sportsmanship and stuff like that.
Samuel: (laughing) No, it's not, Noah!
Noah: (now laughing, too) I was just kidding.

Needless to say, we switched back to Wii Sports immediately and I'm posting Smash Brothers back on craiglist. Maybe we can trade it for some other rated E game (though, somehow I don't think he's going to want the American Idol Karaoke game I thought looked like fun)...

That said, as soon as the kids went to bed, Boaz and I had a pretty good time bowling on Wii. (Watch out, Tacoma and Bellingham!)