A Family Outing

Last week Sean took Sammy with him when he got a haircut. On the way back to the car, they stopped in a store full of junk. Sammy saw a Tattoo Barbie. She really wanted it. Sean told her no. She persisted. He asked her if she brought any money with her to buy it. She replied that Daddy and Mommy always bring the money. Daddy did not give in, but did tell her if she really wanted it, she would remember it, and ask for it later, and they would get money from her piggy bank and get it.

Well, she has been telling me all week about Daddy taking her to get her Tattoo Barbie. This morning, she asked Sean if they could go get her Tattoo Barbie. He was amazed she had remembered it for a whole week. He told her we could go to Target if she had enough money in her piggy bank. She had a twenty dollar budget: Daddy would put in ten, she had been given a five dollar Target gift card for Valentine's Day, so she needed five dollars. (Ella was given the same deal.) The pig was uncorked. She had three one dollar bills and a lot of coins. She counted out eight quarters and we were off. A little money lesson worked into the outing, nice.

We headed straight to the Barbie dolls. They did not have the Tattoo Barbie, but they had quite a selection. She choose a bride Barbie, complete with what must be a five carat diamond covering three of her fingers on a hand with a movable wrist so she can show off her ring. She opted for the African American Barbie with the dark skin and hair instead of the blonde Barbie.

Ella scanned her options, first she wanted a My Little Pony SUV set, then she wanted a Fawn fairy doll (one of Tinkerbell's friends for anyone not in the know), then she wanted a baby doll, an annoying, noisy one we already had (toys that make noise when you walk by are really a good way to get kids interested). Finally, she was convinced she wanted a nice, quiet, bath time dolly with its own towel and three bath toys and that could actually go in the tub with her.

Both girls carried their toys around Target and begged us to open them as soon as they crossed the scanner. Mission accomplished.

Sean had three See's candies coupons burning a hole in his pocket and since we were at the mall and they have a See's store, we went to get three one pound boxes of chocolate. They were giving out free samples of chocolate covered caramels. Sammy, Ella, and I each got one.

Sean went to Radio Shack for a battery, leaving me with the three girls at a seating area. Sammy and I ate our caramels. Ella was having a harder time figuring it out. Sammy started to run around the seating area. Ella got up to follow, her chocolate in hand. I stopped her and told her to eat it before she ran around.

So smart, I thought, to prevent a big mess with a sticky hand full of chocolate touching everything. As she heads back towards me, she shoves the whole candy into her mouth. Her mouth was as full as could be, cheeks puffed out, slurping the chocolate saliva dribbling out of her mouth. I told her to spit it out, she wouldn't, running away, while I tried to grab our Target bags and chase her. Suddenly, she turned around, panic on her face, too much food in her mouth, she couldn't swallow it, she couldn't chew it, she was stuck. Before I reached her, she spit out the caramel, devoid of chocolate, onto the floor. Gross. No napkins on me, I used the wrappers to pick it up, and quickly emptied one Target bag to put it in as she was now running towards Macy's.

Finally, Sean returned, and we headed to the car, the girls with their new treasures in hand. Pretty good outing. Except, Sammy may have a little buyer's remorse. The doll that can go into the tub is pretty cool.