Don't get me wrong, I remember when the Penney's catalog would arrive in our mailbox in late August, (bear with me here….I know some of you have no idea what I'm talking about), my sister and I would sit down with our notebook paper and a pen and circle everything we wanted and write out detailed lists that enumerated page number, color, description, etc. When we were done, we would start again and add things we had missed the first time. Avarice and greed did not begin with my daughter's generation. I am a consumer from word one.
Today we went to buy Miss Five's costume. She is no longer content to be the adorable and cuddly costume wearer. Now she wants to be fierce and flashy; dangerous and dastardly. We settled in the middle on a witch costume that was more tricks and treats than "tarty". I was congratulating myself on our compromise when I turned over the tag. Are you kidding me? $45 for a KMart costume? Now I had to convince her to scale back her costume wishes once again.
The problem was, I had just done such a good job of convincing her that this costume was the epitome of cronely comeliness that now she was locked in. Not budging. Completely, utterly, mired to the mudflaps stuck. And….I had done it to myself. Damn.
Just for a sidecar of entertainment, it should be noted that Little One has just turned three, no longer wishes to stay in the cart and was free-range in the double wide aisle of simultaneous ghoulish wailing and crepey mummies lurching to the tune of Jingle Bells, while Mickey in a blow-up snow globe frolicked with one of his pals who needed a hefty dose of something designed to treat erectile dysfunction. Good times people, …good times.
After trying every crafty, loosely disguised bribe I could think of, I finally resorted to holding out the two items I could reasonably both condone and afford and asked her to choose. She simply could not. I had derailed her Halloween train and there was no hope of bringing her back. She allowed me to choose one for her and we walked out of the Holiday zone with her crying and moaning dramatically. Two aisles later I turned to her as she said "I just don't understand why you told me I could get it and then said I couldn't. That's so mean I can't stop crying." True to Miss Five's style, she never brings up a tough conversation when we are alone or in a place where we can have a thoughtful conversation. We were standing at an end-cap of feminine hygiene products and Little One was flinging box after box into the cart with wild abandon stating loudly "I need these pencils with the flowers on the box!" (Now from the safety of my home, I can see the humor. Not so much then.)
In sheer fatigue and desperation, I finally said to Miss Five "I just can't spend $40 on a costume for one day. Does that make sense?" And this is where she shows me that I have still SO much to learn about parenting. "Mama? Why didn't you just say that? $40 for a costume is crazy. And look how cool this one is!"
Wait. What just happened here?
I'd like to say the heavens opened up and there was glorious birdsong and harp music, but truthfully there were more fits and starts before we got out of the store and the moment was soon forgotten in the craze of two children with four hands and two loud voices and consumer mindsets. But in that singular moment I was so proud of her and so humbled by her ability to see outside of her own need.
And then, she was back to her own self before we were buckled into the car. "Mom? Do you think Santa would bring me that too 'spensive costume for Christmas?"
I bet he will. Right after he does the Monster Mash with a giant turkey bearing a basket of candycanes. Merry HallowThankMas!
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