All I want for Christmas

From the beginning, Rich and I have both agreed that we don't want spoiled kids. We don't want kids who demand a toy or balloon with every visit to Target or the grocery store. We don't want kids who expect a prize or earnings with each cartwheel landed or soccer goal scored.

That being said, I do admit to occasionally "spoiling" my girls with material items. Sometimes I purchase toys or clothes that they don't need. It's something that makes me happy. Something that I want to do. I think of it as a treat. An every once in awhile occurrence.

Around the end of August, the girls somehow decided that we were going to go to Target and buy them toys. {Um, no.} I don't know how it happened but everyday one of them would ask when we were going to go to Target. "What day are we going to go to Target to get toys?" At first, Rich and I told them that they didn't need more toys but trying to reason with a four year old is impossible. So we ignored them and I told Rich that he couldn't pay me to set foot in a Target with them in tow. Whatever we were doing as parents eventually worked (or it was just luck) and they stopped asking for a Target toy trip.

Two weekends ago, I really did need to go to Target and because Rich was studying, the girls were with me. We were about halfway through the store when one of them asked if we could look at the toys. I began to groan.

"I don't think this Target sells toys."

That didn't really work. Especially after they spotted the toy section I was trying to avoid.

"Okay, here's the deal. We can look at the toys. Look. Only. We are not going to buy anything. Understand? You can cry and beg all you want but I am not going to buy any toys."

They were perfect angels. We wandered up and down two aisles and the girls pointed out different toys. They never asked me to buy anything. Now, they have started Santa lists, which I'm sure will see many edits, so maybe that helped but I was proud of them and myself.

Emily has been asking for a closet in her bedroom. The issue at hand is that her bedroom is narrow and contains a nook where a closet could be. If that nook were to be closed off for a closet, the room would be even smaller. Rich and I are planning to build it storage space (i.e., a closet) in that nook for her and I'll just sew up some pretty curtains to hid everything instead of closing in the wall.

Last weekend, in the midst of discussing potential presents from Santa, Emily said to me, "All I want for Christmas is my closet." And she was serious. I felt a bit bad because what four year old wants a closet instead of toys.

Sunday afternoon, Rich and I began transforming this nook into a closet for Baby Chick.

And while it may look like a walk in closet to you, don't be fooled by the wide angle lens.

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