Leavin' on a jet plane....

Tis the season. The season the Toys R Us Big Book of Toys arrives.  The season where every single day my mailbox has some sort of toy catalog in it. The season my daughters who normally aren't majorly greedy individuals suddenly become fiends for the new commercials that are appropriately placed on Disney and Nickelodeon. And of course, it comes the time when I have to decide upon a budget for Christmas gifts and remember to stick to it since the "wants" outweigh the "money" to pay.

This brings me to my first seasonal dilemma. Thing 1 decided she wanted to buy the Barbie Glamour Vacation Jet with three dolls. She saw it on tv.  She's been looking at it for a couple of years since Barbie has invaded the house. This was the year she asked for it.  Like a good 21st Century Mom, I went to Amazon to check on reviews for said jet.  They were terrible. Everything from overpriced (to which I agree) to flimsy material to it never stays together to "I'm still finding parts to it and I sold it at a rummage sale months ago."  I didn't feel right making a purchase that would pretty much exhaust Thing 1's entire Christmas budget when the reviews were like that. So, I asked her to the computer one day and asked her to read the reviews.  She did as asked and said, "I still want it."  Being the level-headed mom I am, I said, "Sleep on it for three days and if you still want it, we'll leave it on the list."

Morning one arrived.  Thing 1 was barely out of her bed when she said, "I slept on it and I still want it."

Morning two arrived. Thing 1 woke up and said, "I slept again on it. I still want it."  I countered her reply with, "You do realize if you get this that Thing 2 will have more presents to open than you will."  Silence.  Thing 1 walked away and I smirked thinking I was making progress.

Morning three arrived. "Mom, I want the jet. I know it's a big present and it has bad reviews but I think it will be my favorite toy ever."

That day I went to the website for ToysrUs and ordered it.  I have no clue if it will be a good investment. I have a pretty good idea that when Thing 2 is opening more toys, Thing 1 will be slightly hurt and upset, but will fake it and pretend it doesn't bother her.  But I remember wanting certain things for Christmas that I look back on and wonder why I wasted my time wanting them.  Some broke the night of Christmas Eve.  Some were so pathetic they were never touched again after Christmas Eve.  But the point is, I got what I asked for regardless of anything else (no, there were no Amazon reviews when I was growing up).  I think that meant more to me than weighing out the bad parts of the purchase.

So, the jet has already arrived (two days after purchasing it) and there is no turning back now.  Here's hoping for a halfway surprised Thing 1 and a durable, fun-filled toy pink jet with its own jacuzzi and karaoke area. Ken and Barbie will never be alone in there unsupervised though. It's a rule in this house.