Shopping!

I had the best, but also the most difficult shopping trip today. I went with only my oldest, B. It was so nice to be able to walk the store and not worry every moment where she was. She stayed close (the cart was FULL!) and shared with me what she was curious about. She found items that I was specifically looking for. It was a fun mother/daughter time. Until I started to feel guilty.

It is so strange. We were at the thrift store, doing the reuse portion of the reduce, reuse, recycle. Finding halloween costumes... a few puzzles. And then the cart was full. Everything was 40% off and I just couldn't stop. Not a great lesson. We did have some laughs though.

B decided that I needed some slippers. She picked out this pair of ridiculously gigantic slippers. They were huge, they were gross and they came with a comment of "momma, these are huge and would go great on your pig feet." The ladies near me looked at me very confused why I would allow this charming kid to call me a pig. She didn't know I am assigned to be Ham from Toy Story.

Another moment... Brigid found a drum. I told her that she could get it, but that "only a crazy momma would actually buy her kids a drum." Five minutes later, a lady walked buy and said "hey crazy... the drum is still in your cart." It made me smile. So did the 10 minutes of non-stop drumming when we got home. Stay tuned for the moment of regret. I am sure it is coming.

Anyway. There were lessons at shopping. B kept grabbing and dumping things into my cart. I am not lying to you when I say that I:
A) had to call in help to meet me at the store (to activate the 40% off)
B) had to get a second cart
C) spent $100 freaking dollars at a thrift store at ... need I say it, 40$ off.

Anyway, back to the dumping things in the cart. I finally informed her that if she put something in, I was going to take something out, and it would be of my choosing. This weird argument seemed to work. She would test it, but then move on. Who knows if I would choose the strawberry shortcake game, the cowboy boots or the super awesome slippers. Do you know what she was most concerned about? If I would take out the items she had picked out for her sisters. She found something very nice and very specific for each of them. She is the SWEETEST. I wish they knew. Anyway... I also informed her that the majority of the purchases were going to be put away for Christmas. Did she freak out? Nope. She said "I bet they are going into the prize closet. I love that place."

At the end of the day, we had a fun adventure at the store. Bought too much, but also learned that some of the fun of enjoying the new toys could wait. Also, there is a limit to how much we can put in the cart. Hopefully it sticks.

She also went to bed hungry because she skipped dinner to play with the new stuff. But food choices is another story for another time. She is asleep, she survived her choice. That is what life is about right? choices.