Money, Money, Money

This morning, we went to Target per Lucia's request because she insisted that she wanted to buy Rhea another birthday gift with her own money.  There were several cute, not-so-cute and blog-worthy moments surrounding the trip. :-)

She brought all her money in her new purse, and in the car on the way to Target, Lucia kept promising Rhea that she would buy her two gifts, "whatever you pick out" from the toy section.  After listening to this for a while, I decided it was time to bring both girls back into reality, considering Rhea was understandably getting really excited!  So, for starters, I had Lucia count her money to see how much she even had to spend.  Then I encouraged her to tell Rhea that she could pick ONE thing, not two.
While trying to count it: "Mama, what is 8 + 100? .... Oh, 108." Then: "What comes after a billion?" Short time later: "I wish I had brought my cockulator. Counting money is hard work."

Then Rhea chimed in: "Here, I can help you!" and pulls out a gadget.
Lucia: "No, Rhea, that's a compass.  That won't help us count my money."
Rhea: "I think it will."
Lucia: "No, that just shows us directions, like where north is, and east, and west, and south."
Rhea, with lots of conviction: "I think it can count money."

Next, Lucia starts lecturing Rhea that she can pick ANY TWO THINGS she wants, but that they have to be on CLEARANCE.  L: "Clearance is when there is a red sticker underneath the thing, but not ON the thing.  Get it, Rhea?  We'll have to go hunting for the red clearance stickers, ok?"  (Hmm. Praiseworthy.  Already bargain-hunting. :-) )

Then, we get into Target.  I offer to help Lucia count her money.  She has one $10 bill from her birthday, and four $1, plus change that amounts to about $0.85.  So, we conclude, $14.85 that she can use.  She is very excited and wants to head to the toy section FIRST.  On the way there, I reminded her to hold her purse upright since her coins might fall out otherwise.  "Mama, I really need a wallet for my money.  But I'm going to think of Rhea first.  She can pick a birthday gift first."

Once we got to the toy section, the girls enjoyed finding clearance items.  Rhea had made up her mind pretty quickly.  She wanted a toy camera (that she's been wishing for for a while now, ever since we gave one to her friend for her birthday).  

But Lucia had discovered a different toy.  

And all of a sudden, the negotiating began.
I reminded her that she was picking something as a gift for RHEA, and that when we give gifts, we should pick something with the recipient in mind.  Lucia: "Ok, Mom, but I want to PICK the gift for Rhea, since I'm giving it to her and I'm paying for it with my money.  Besides, I think that if she starts playing with this, she'll really love it!  It does x and y and z!!!(describing all the features)"

So it took about 15 minutes for them to reach a deal.  I left it up to them, giving occasional suggestions and mediating between Rhea, who was clutching the toy camera, and Lucia, who was coming up with all sorts of reasons like, "What if the batteries run out and then we don't have the right kind of batteries and the stores don't either and then it won't work anymore and you can't play with it anymore? That's why I want to get you a no-battery-toy.  And I PROMISE, for your NEXT birthday, I'll buy you that camera. I PROMISE."

Finally, Rhea agreed to put away the camera, and Lucia was ecstatic about getting to buy the toy she had picked. It didn't take long until it was apparent that she was buying the toy for herself.  When I quietly pointed that out, she said, "well, Rhea didn't WANT this one. She wanted the CAMERA."  (Amazing, how our hearts can go from one thing to the next and justify it all...)  When we got home, she was very protective of unpacking it, but then fairly readily allowed Rhea three of the six squinky bugs it came with.  So they've been playing happily ever after, until I just now put Rhea down for her nap.  (Yay for having a four-year-old who still likes taking naps!!)