Impulsiveness

After the debauchery of the holiday season this past year, I made a personal vow that I was going to be a Responsible Adult and spread out the purchases throughout the year, you know, so that pain would be less acute and more...chronic.  I should also probably make a personal vow to write down said personal vows so that I actually remember them but where's the fun in that? I like to live dangerously.  Anyway, we are heading full-bore into birthday party season for Noelle so there have been/are/will be lots of opportunities to visit the last vestige of Babylon, Toys R Us.

Saturday's visit was simple; get her friend a birthday present, head to the mall to get her and Noah new picture clothes for next week and finish up with grocery shopping.  This plan was derailed almost immediately as she has become obsessed with the Selena Gomez song 'Love You Like A Love Song' ('turn it up Mommy! is a common refrain in the van) so I had this idea to see if we could find the CD while there.  After wandering up and down every. aisle. twice, we passed by the book section where I surreptitiously scanned the shelves for a copy of 'The Lorax'. They have been reading this at school and she talked about Wunstlerz (?) and Hummingfish almost as much as 'The Lion King' (shut up, it's been a good 30 years since I last read it).  Lo and behold, a single shining copy was on the shelf.  The little man in my head who mans the filter must have been on his happy hour bread because I picked it up and beamed at her 'Noelle! Here's 'The Lorax'! Would you like to get it?'  What five year old on earth could resist this offer especially as I had turned down earlier requests for a giant stuffed Hello Kitty doll and various princess Lego's?  Not mine I tell you so into the basket it went. 

We got the birthday present and the bonus of the book when we turned the corned into a far, hidden aisle and came upon the world's smallest music display.  The little man must have eaten too many nachos at this point and become...indisposed...as I picked it up and with great fanfare showed it to her, 'Honey, look!  It's the Selena Gomez CD, you know, the one with the love song that you like.' Then, my doom: 'Did you want to get it?'  Well DUH woman.  Plus we picked up a 'Penguins of Madagascar' movie for Noah because you CANNOT come home with a prize for one child and not the other.  Never did make it to the mall that day; maybe we'll go more avant garde with the Rainbow Brite look for them this year....

I should have just scouted the items, distracted her and returned later to get them and hide them away but it gave me so much joy to see her so excited and happy that her mommy looked for something special for her.  I LIKE doing special things for my kids; they are good kids for the most part and I remember my parents and grandparents giving us special treats from time to time.  We don't try to buy their love or indulge their every whim but every now and then when the timing is right and the money is there, well, I can't think of a better way to spend it than on something that will bring them delight right then.

Now back to square one: what the sam hill are we going to get her for her birthday?