From there I pulled up the Toys R Us site and set about looking. See, the deal was that if you spent $30 on a "Brave" product, you'd get the wig for free. It didn't matter that the wig could be purchased for half of that (I'm a promoter's dream in that I fall for this stuff hook, line, and sinker). So as I browsed, I calculated what I could buy to meet the $30 requirement and secure the wig.
It was while I was compiling my mental shopping cart that I stumbled upon the LeapFrog Tag - a cool little pen-type device that helps you read books. It wasn't that expensive and I thought that would be good for Abby, since you can also practice writing with it - perfect. The decision was made and we were heading to the toy store!
Abby was, of course, excited, and she promised me that she would listen to Mom in the store if she could walk instead of ride in the cart. She really did do a great job, considering we were in a story filled with toys. She did get stuck when she found a cool microphone, and we had to have a bit of a "conversation" about why we were there, but after a moment she placed it back on the shelf and we forged on, finally finding what we were looking for. After gathering our purchases we headed to the front of the store and hoping to keep her busy for a few moments I treated her to a ride on the 50 cent spaceship while I checked out. Unfortunately, she decided that going behind the counter and playing with the store's phone would be much more fun. I don't think the workers knew quite what to think about Abby, especially as one of them had to take off after her after she grabbed a lizard and bolted while Mom was busy signing for the purchase. I just laughed when the employee remarked to me, "You have your hands full today." Just today?
Crap!
I'd been so distracted at the store by Abby that I failed to read the requirements. So as she sat crying on the floor I desperately riffled through our drawers in the vain hope that I just might find some AAA's - no such luck. Somehow I was able to shoo her back out to the car (as she clutched the book and the Tag), and we drove up to the gas station on the corner. She followed me in (still clutching the book and the Tag), and we searched for batteries. Finally successful we trotted up to the counter where she charmed the clerks and got some stickers for her efforts. With a wave to our new friends we were off. Now it was smooth sailing, we'd have this thing up and running lickety-split.
Not likely.
Two hours later, I was ready to throw both the Tag and my computer out the window. For some inexplicable reason the firewall on my computer wouldn't let the LeapFrog Connect program through. By this point Abby had lost interest and was enjoying an ice cream cone. Finally, finally I was able to figure it out and get everything going. Abby was thrilled that she could listen to Merida over and over again with a simple touch of the pen, and I was too - until she literally listened to the same phrase over and over and over again. Still, she had a good time and sat on the couch "reading" her book for a good hour - while I decompressed.
So, what started out as a simple plan to pick up a crazy red-haired wig for my little darling, morphed into an afternoon of frustration and irritation. Luckily the day improved and we were able to have quite a bit of fun, but as I reflect on our adventure I realize, I should have just gotten her the wig and called it a day.
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| Sailors take warning! Abby makes quite the crabby pirate, doesn't she? I don't know what is funnier, the look on her face, or the outfit! |
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| Please excuse her state of undress, but she had a story to read and couldn't be bothered. |
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| We made some cookies this afternoon, and Abby decided she needed her superhero mask. Apparently she didn't want her true identity revealed in the process. |
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