And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. ~ Kahlil Gibran



Saturday, May 08, 2010

Sometimes Retail Therapy Is Best

Big Sprout is not a pushy kind of gal. Too often, when she asks me to do something for her, I reply that I will "get around to it" or that I don't have time "right this second". Being the patient and unassuming child that she is, she just waits for me to remember and get it done.

Silly child.

You would think, that after 11 years of me forgetting things or just plain procrastinating, she would have learned her lesson. Maybe she was just too busy learning the lesson "if you pester Mommy about things, she will rip your head off". I dunno.

Big Sprout's birthday was back in February. At that time, she received several gift cards for various stores. They have been sitting on top of our TV since. Even worse, a gift card she received two Christmases ago joined them after she found it cleaning her room.

It's not that I don't want to take my beloved Big Sprout out and let her shop to her heart's content. I do. I just haven't been able to work it into our busy schedules. Most of these stores are about 45 min away from Barefoot Manor. Between my work schedule, Big Sprout's school schedule, and my absolute refusal to take Little Sprout with us.... let's just say there aren't that many days of the year that meet all requirements.

Luckily, I had an unexpected day off work today. The minute Mr. Barefoot was up and moving (and therefore able to watch Little Sprout), Big Sprout and I ran out the door and headed down to the Cities for a shopping extravaganza.

Ok... well.... Big Sprout shopped. I watched. And drove. Driving is important.

By the end of our day, Big Sprout had acquired two new DSi games, a little carry purse for her DSi, an MP3 player, a movie, and two books.

The kid is ecstatic. All the way home, I was treated to the sounds of her squealing and yelling while playing her new games. I hope she realises the game can't hear her. She is saving the books for our trip to CA, knowing that she will need something to entertain her during the long hours in the car.

And now she is pestering me to download music onto her MP3 player.

The child never learns.

3 comments:

webb said...

So yesterday you had the fun of a Girls Day Out with Big Sprout, and in many years you will also get to enjoy it when SHE takes YOU out to run errands, shop, and eat lunch when she is the one providing the driving. In between will be many more fun trips together. It's one of the great joys of the mother-daughter relationship.

Hope you get another free day soon!

Kelli said...

I was envisioning her clothes shopping at first, and was thinking how lucky to have a mother that would just kick back and WATCH. My mother had me try on EVERYTHING (which at the time was just SOOOOOOO HORRIBLE but I see now why she did it - returning stuff sucks!) and made me buy underwear that was WAAAAAAAY too big. But at least she bought me enough bras!!! I may have nearly bankrupted them on bras.

Electronics shopping sounds so much more fun.

P.S. & BTW I really love my mom. :)

barefoot gardener said...

Webb- I can't wait!

Kelli- Oh, I remember the "try it on" fights! My mom had the added frustration of a daughter who would walk into a store, look around, and decide wihthin 5 minutes that there "isn't anything here I want".

Our poor moms!