shopping fun

Tomorrow is Little's 7th birthday. I am certain not to forget such event, simply because he won't let me! We have been counting down the days since the middle of February...and that is fine, I do the same. I told him that we would be going shopping to pick out his birthday gift and he could pick what he wanted. *within reason....Would you like to know what a 7yr old thinks is *within reason?
First we get to Toys R Us...I am already beat from a day at work and cooking and cleaning...but it is 7:15 and I still have a birthday gift to procure. He wants to look at bikes. and skateboards. and motorized Razor scooters that cost $300 and are entirely OUT of the reach of reason. He rode a couple of bikes around the store...which entertained him, while I took a quick cat nap on the bench. One of the bikes had "handle bar brakes" which Little is not so familiar with. The end result was a small scream and a near miss in the aisle that involved another little boy. Where was that kids mother? I tried to get him to buy into "guitar hero" and frankly, it was only because I wanted it. HE wanted an actual electric guitar. Not so much. There were some tears. He stopped proclaiming that I was the best mom, EVER. I suggested we head over to Walmart...
On the way to Walmart...he remembers that he wanted a "wap-top" aka laptop. I remind him that we are talking about gifts that are *within reason and a wap-top is not. We stopped at Best Buy to prove my point. Again, I tried for the Guitar Hero. (good news...Rock Band for the Wii will be out before Christmas, start standing in line now!) Then...we finally went to Walmart. Walmart. Had the same bike that we saw for $100 at TRU for $68. I'll take that. It is orange. It has handle bar brakes. He didn't hit anyone at Walmart. We bought it. In the check out line, the little girl in front of us was checking out his bike. They talked. She clearly dug Little. He was cute. I told him later that he couldn't bring home a girl that he met in the checkout at Walmart.
Now for the funny part...and really, who didn't see this coming?
We get the bike out to the car. The CAR. The SATURN. There isn't a lot of space in the Saturn, and what space there is, is taken up by a butt load of crap. I try to put the bike in the back seat thinking that Little could ride shotgun on the way home...he managed to survive the first 7 years, he would be fine. Not to worry, the bike wouldn't fit in the back seat. After much wrestling, I got it back OUT of the backseat and popped the trunk. Yeah. It wouldn't fit in the trunk, either. Much wrestling, swearing, yanking, yelling, giggling...and then I decided to put down the back seat. In theory, that sounds like I am using my head. In reality? Not so much. I couldn't get the bike far enough IN the trunk to need the seat down. More pulling, pushing, swearing, sweating, and begging...finally, it was IN the trunk. However, the trunk? Wouldn't close. More swearing...and of course I don't have a string or anything to tie the trunk closed with...so I get an idea...I use the plastic bag to tie the trunk shut. Off we go...Little in the back seat, hanging on to the tire, afraid that the bike is going to fly out at any moment. I tried to assure him that all of the tugging and pulling and swearing that I did was exactly why the bike would NOT fly out. However, I was certain that my random shit that was in the trunk, was going to fly out and leave a Hansel and Gretal like trail on the way...
We made it home. Little rode the bike around the livingroom until the dog barked and I yelled.
Happy Birthday, Baby!!