16 December 2011

All For a Garbage Truck??

Do you see this garbage truck? Apparently it is the hot shit toy of 2011. Sometimes you really cannot predict this stuff.

Around Thanksgiving, I gave the girls the Toys R Us gift catalog to peruse for Christmas wish list inspiration. Of course they wanted everything in there. So my job as a parent is to figure out which toys they really want and which ones are picked from the rush of Christmas cookie-fueled adrenaline. I thought I did a pretty good job.

Until I realized that I screwed up.

One of the first things Romana blurted out was this trash pack garbage truck. Her list went something like "makeup kit, dolls, makeup kit, dolls, DS game, makeup kit, dolls... garbage truck." So I ignored it. Yes, I saw it at Toys R Us while shopping for their presents. I even casually remarked to my mother-in-law, "Ha - look. It's that silly garbage truck Romana wanted for a second." I passed it by. I didn't hear too much about it after that. 

Then, last week we were at Darin's company Christmas party, where they had Santa for the kids. Romana pops up onto his lap and says "I want the garbage truck." That was ALL she said she wanted.

So, when my folks asked what the kids wanted for Christmas, I gave them the garbage truck information. But by the time they went shopping for this silly little $20 toy... it was gone. Off the shelves. Out of stock on line. It was "the" toy to have this year and none of us had a clue. My dad saw it for $35 on Amazon, but they thought they'd save the $15 extra + shipping and wait for it to be re-stocked. It wasn't and supposedly it isn't going to be anytime soon. So my dad went back on Amazon. Now the truck was going for $50. 

None of us in good conscience can spend that much money for it.I always told myself I would NEVER be so materialistic as to jump through hoops for some stupid toy. My children will just have to learn that they can't always have everything and that toys are just toys. They come and go and are soon forgotten about.

But then I thought that it was all my fault. Little Romanabelle really, really, super-duper wanted this garbage truck and I dropped the ball. She asked Santa for it. IN PERSON.  Could I let this sweet little angel (Yes, for holiday purposes, she is an angel) think that Santa just doesn't give a frack? No, I cannot. 

I found it for $35 on eBay. Hoops, jumped. Shipping fees, eaten.I guess I am one of those parents who must get that toy. At least I didn't have to shoot or pepper spray anyone for it. I'll save sinking that low until next year. 

4 comments:

History Doc said...

I totally refused to play. Mean mom.

My kids got what they needed or what I wanted to give them, not what they necessarily wanted. Life is full of unfulfilled dreams. Not that I was deliberately trying to teach them a life lesson, just that I hate shopping and hate it more during the holiday season. I figured they'd rather have their mom than have me in jail for going postal on a Salvation Army Santa.

Jenny said...

You are the best Liz. I normally don't play the game too much but this is just too precious - love it!

EM Hum said...

I feel that when the kids are good & have asked for things within the parameters of reality, those wishes get fulfilled on Christmas morning.The dump truck wasn't some $400 item and the girls really are so good.

If it was just "on her list" she wouldn't have gotten it. The point is that I had no idea how bad she really wanted it.

Every parent does it differently and that's okay. I like the idea that one day out of of the year you know awesome things are going to happen no matter what. It's a nice break from the constant kick in the nuts that is the real world.

Kristin in Colorado said...

Remember Furbies (sp?)?? Yea...Trav had to have that stupid ass toy. Luckily, my bestie Megan worked at Toys R Us at the time. She purchased it for us...but literally had to "smuggle" it out of the store, escorted by a co-worker. Ridiculous!!!

The garbage truck looks and sounds adorable! Cody and Brayden love watching our garbage men come by every Monday. This last Monday, we left cards and goodies out for them. The kids watched them pull up and waved enthusiastically as the 2 scruffy dudes gathered their gifts waved back and mouthed "thank you" to them....

You're a good mommy!! Xo!