Going BALListic

A Target run became inevitable this afternoon when I opened the Rubbermaid drawer where I keep the diapers and saw four left. So we loaded up the kids and headed that way. On the way there, Ryan decided today would be the day that he and Bennett would pick out his 1st Hot wheels car. (I think Ryan has been anxiously awaiting that day for a while). Well, as you well know if you have kids- things don't always go as planned....

Honestly, we never just buy our kids "stuff". I have seen little kids sitting in a Target basket with more toys from the toy aisle up there with them than they know what to do with. In three years, the number of times we have just taken our kids through the toy aisle and let them pick out something to buy is... zero. Don't get me wrong- they do not go without. We have several hand me down toys and SEVERAL generous grandparents and other family members that shower them with wonderful things! We have bought them a thing or two on birthdays or if there is something specific we are looking to get for them, but other than that if we take them through the toy aisle, it is to get a fix, leave it there, and go home. So tonight was a special night- we were going to splurge on letting Bennett pick our his very own 97 cent Hot wheel, and since Hannah Grace was interested, she was going to get one too- or something else small and girly. Well once they realized that they couldn't get them out of the package while we were in the store, they were not so interested. So we looked in several of the other "few dollar at most" toy bins to see if something else caught their eyes. They had typical toddler attention spans and were handing me back things after looking at them for a minute or two. They both kept saying "ball" so I thought, I'm sure we can find them some little bouncy balls. Well what we found was so much more than JUST a bouncy ball. I picked up this ball and was shocked at the weight of it. It was about the size of a large grapefruit and filled with water and glitter. I felt four little eyes glued on my hands and what I was holding. Soon they squeals to get their hands on them themselves followed. I found a pink one for Hannah and a blue one for Bennett. I didn't see a price- but they are balls, right? Well I found another one that was a significant amount smaller and was SHOCKED to see a five dollar price tag. "Oh no!" I thought, but in high hopes we found the nearest price check. Our fears were confirmed when the digital 7.99 popped up on that little screen. EIGHT DOLLARS FOR A BOUNCY BALL!!!! So we revisited every aisle- showing them toy after toy that was a little less in price, or at least seemed like bigger bang for your buck than a bouncy ball! We tried Nerf guns, cars, ponies, figurines, the works. No takers. When we asked "Do you want this really cool basketball goal and ball you can dunk, or do want the bouncy ball?!!?" All they could do was reach out for their beloved shiny five pound bouncy balls. So Ryan and I gave up trying and looked at each other to decide what to do. Call us cheap, but I can do a lot with $16- and we went in the toy aisle planning on spending maybe $5 altogether. I told Ryan- I don't know- I know it's so ridiculous to spend $16 on these silly balls- but they have made it clear, they really love them and they are always so good about putting stuff back when we leave. I had never seen them both so dead set on a particular thing, so in a way $16 for something like that that we truly never do, seemed justifiable. "They better play with these balls every day for the next 5 years" we decided as we headed up to the register with our box of diapers, bouncy balls, and a pair of jeans for Bennett and a sweat jacket hoodie for Hannah from the clearance rack for the fall (that both together totalled LESS than ONE bouncy ball, mind you!)

So for one night we were those parents. I am glad our kids don't get everything they want all the time, I think it is good for them, but I must admit it was fun to treat them for once, and it was worth the sixteen dollars to see their little faces light up when we told them they could take them home and to hear their little "thank you"s. Since being home they have played with their bouncy ball, sat and eaten dinner at the table with their bouncy balls, played with them some more, and are now watching cartoons in their chairs... with their bouncy balls. I would say they are still pretty excited about them. =)

The bouncy ball of all bouncy balls!