The Birthday
Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 8:23AM 
I have two kids...Kiddy Y and Kiddy Z. Suffice to say they are not babies anymore (of course they will always be my babies). In fact Kiddy Z has a milestone birthday today...he turns 5!! I consider 5 to be milestone because it's half way 10! I always have mixed feeling on their birthdays..happy that they are growing up and sad that they are growing up. Where has the time gone? I was in a urban baby store yesterday and there wasn't a single thing that was for my children..even the books seemed too juvenile already.
Kiddy Z has been patiently waiting for his birthday since Kiddy Y had his birthday last December! He even made sure I ordered his 'soccer cake' when I ordered the 'hockey cake' for Kiddy Y almost 6 months ago. Of course I told him I ordered the cake but when he reminded me about it yesterday I was frantically on the phone praying that the grocery store had the 'scoccer toys' in stock for the cake. Thank goodness they did...crisis averted! Now all I have to do is make cupcakes for camp!
Presents are another whole issue in our house as well. Our kiddies have a basement and two bedrooms full of toys. We have Hot Wheels, Mega Rig, Action Figures, Lego, Webkinz, Transformers, Nintendo DS, Pokemon and the current fave...Bakugan. So when The Daddy and I asked Kiddy Z what he wanted for his birthday...he couldn't think of anything!!! Nothing..not one thing! And don't start thinking it's because he's a sweet child who just want's a cake and his friends around...BTW we've already had a giant birthday party with 15 friends at an indoor playground before school ended!! It's because they already have everything! When he finally came up with an idea, it was one Bakugan figure available only on e-bay (Kiddy Y is e-bay savy already)! One little transforming plastic ball would have cost me about $40!! No way...not a chance...not this time! I don't really care if it's a rare delta hydranoid....what happened to the days of Tinker Toys and Tiddlywinks?
Why is the birthday present so complicated...or have we made it complicated? Is it time to own up to the fact that Kiddy Y and Kiddy Z are just plain spoiled?
Mommy X
So I took Y and Z to the toy store after camp yesterday to pick out a birthday present. At toy store #1 (small independent cozy store), Z picked out a set of six Bakugan (the plastic marbles that transform) from behind a 'locked glass cabinet.' The locked glass cabinet upped the glam factor of the toys...who needs the toys from the peg wall when we have the ones from inside the 'locked glass cabinet.' I also let Y pick a set...I know, it wasn't his birthday..but I really wanted to spare the drama (or so I thought)! Then on to toy store #2 (big box, bright lights) where I managed to talk Z out of the Pokemon Shinnoh Region Playset. For $40 you get a plastic mountain with one Pokemon figure and one bottle of ooze that streams out the side of the mountain and onto my carpet. So the three of us stood there staring at the peg wall of action figures, not really needing any, but not knowing what else to pick.
The Daddy and I had a conversation the night before The Birthday about possibly giving in and buying the kiddies a Wii game system. For $269 it didn't seem like a terrible idea. After all, we could all play together...you know...family time! The kiddies and I strolled over to the electronic games section of the store. The $269 Wii comes with only one set of controls..so we'd have to buy another set so both of them could play. Plus another game...Super Mario Smash Brothers...sounds exactly like what goes on in my house everyday. The total would have broke $400!!!! But I was willing to do it...for the sake of the birthday boy. Then the heavens opened and the kiddies walked away from the electronic games and back to the action figure section. THEY WALKED AWAY FROM THE Wii!!!! Z picked out a $14.99 Ben 10 action figure. I wasn't sure whether I should check their temperature then and there. One action figure...alright let's proceed quickly to the check-out shall we? Nope...Y wanted and and action figure too! "Y, it's not your birthday...and have you forgotten already that I just bought you a set of six Bakugan?" "Yeah Mommy...but how I am supposed to play with Z if I don't have a Ben 10 action figure too." Smart response....but it didn't work. Drama followed...crocodile tears, crossed arms, stomping about, threats of never letting Z have a sleep over with him again! But I didn't give in! I suffered through the embarrassment of a tantrum child in a toy store, feeling the entire time like I was the first parent to ever say no. Y moped all the way home until Z promised to let him play with the new Ben 10 toy first. Oh the things we do to please our big brother!
Before I went to bed last night I thought of the kiddies walking away from the Wii and felt, for a moment, like we (The Daddy and I) might have done something right. I'm not sure exactly what it is...but I'm sure it will all backfire at Christmas!
Daily Life 
View Printer Friendly Version
Email Article to Friend
Reader Comments (2)
I always miss the old leggo, hoola-hoop and skipping rope:)
Lol, your hillarious. My youngest is turning 7 on Saturday and has decided on 3 things we can choose from....to swim with the dolphins (that would involve a foreign country), a dog (she can't figure out why Santa hasn't delivered for 4 years so figures she will now ask for her birthday) or going to see the Monarch butterflies in Mexico.....yah the dog is easiest....NOT!!!!!
I remember being excited about getting one of those things with a lemon on it that you twirl around your ankle from Bargain Harolds.
The good old days