Shopping with Matthew

Both kids have a party to go to on the 14th.   Normally, this would mean a trip to Learning Express where we would find the perfect gifts and leave with them wrapped and ready to go for the party.

While Gracie was happy to oblige, Matthew announced yesterday that he didn't want to get Abigail (classmate who is having the party) a toy for her birthday.  I reminded him that they had all kinds of jewelry at Learning Express, too.  He thought about that for a while and said, "Can we maybe go to the mall?"

Say what?

It seems little man was thinking maybe he could get her "a shirt or a headband or something like that."   I love that he thinks about gifts (even with "something like that" tagged on to the end of the sentence), but I had visions of us wandering around aimlessly in the mall, while he rejected any and all helpful suggestions, only to end up purchasing something that we could have gotten at the toy store while were buying the gift for Gracie's party.  

Determined not to break his spirit, we hit the mall tonight after dinner since Bassam was off at the hockey game.   He asked where girls liked to shop and I rattled off a few places.  He decided we would go to Justice to look for his gift.

I should mention that we have yet set foot in a Justice store to shop for Gracie.  Mostly because she is barely out of toddler sizes, but I also had this vision that it was some kind of  "gateway store" to the teen stores like Hollister and Abercrombie that you hope your kids never show interest in.   However, after walking around, I decided Justice was more like a hopped up Claire's boutique . . . but instead of just earrings, necklaces, headbands and flavored lip glosses, they also carry clothes.

Lots of glitzy, bedazzled clothes, may I add.

Speaking of bedazzled, after doing an initial sweep of the store, Matthew wanders over to accessories and points to a purse on a higher shelf.   Y'all it's a tacky white thing and it has a big sparkly "A" on the side (for Abigail).   Really?   I take it down so he can get a closer look.

"I think she will love this."  

He was so earnest.  How could I not let him give her the sparkly, white purse?   He truly thought it was a fabulous bag and he was proud of himself for picking it out.  

I have no idea if Abigail will like the bag.  But it was chosen with care by my sweet son.

And the gift receipt will be inside . . . just in case.