I've just returned from a Christmas visit with Margaret's daughter Amanda, her husband and their son (and therefore Margaret's grandson) Beckett, who turns two years old today. 

So what's new in toys for two year olds?  It seems to be magnets--pretty powerful and adaptable magnets on all kinds of toys, puzzles and games.

There is another trend, as reflected in that book (which Beckett received) and its title, at least in tech-centric Menlo Park.  Beckett gets a single session per day (15 to 20 minutes) on the ipad. His ipad time is after dinner, and sometimes he watches episodes of Mister Rodgers.   But mostly he plays games and puzzles.  The one I saw that I remember is a virtual broom that can sweep up virtual dirt.  But another requires matching icons, which he does at such a speed that I couldn't figure out what the object of it was.  He obviously was getting it right, though.

Apparently disengaging from the ipad is such a widespread problem for children that this book was written.  Treated as a parody it nevertheless does ritualize the transition from ipad to dreamtime.  And that's the two year old news for today.  Happy birthday, Beckett!