Time for the birthday present conversation

#3 is having a birthday this week. He is turning 6. He started talking about what kind of party he wanted, the cake he wanted, the presents he wanted, the food he wanted for his birthday the day after he turned 5.

I am not kidding.

Needless to say, I tired of the birthday talk the day after he turned 5. I banned all talk of birthday until one month before his next birthday. In our curriculum we are working with a calendar and I starred the day we could talk about presents. The flu took over and I just got around to having the present conversation this morning.

Mama: Well, it is time to talk about birthday presents. What would you like?
#3: Weww....I would like a Staw Waws wight saba that is two dollaws, it comes in a singwa pack, bwue, not the doubwa pack. It should be two dollaws and that is in the budget wight?
Mama thinks: hmmm, he has been talking with the brothers-they know about the budget
Mama says: Okay. Is there anything else?
#3: Yes. An Ice Pirwaka (piraka-for all those not in the know-legos).
Mama: Well, what if the store is out of Ice Pirakas? Is there anything else you would like? (sincerely hoping that I will not have to purchase legos)
#3: Well, they are popuwar with hundweds of kids and the storwa should have them.
Mama: What if they don't?
#3: Weww, any ovva (other) piwaka is okay.

We do something else for a while then I open the conversation back up again.

Mama: You know, those brothers have been hassling you about legos. Are you sure you want legos for your birthday?
#3: I am suwa. I am not going to open them until THEY leave the house.
Mama, stifling a huge laugh: Well 14 years is a long time to wait to play with your birthday toys.
#3: FOUWATEEN YEAWS! I fink I need to fink about this.

Now some may think this is an excessive conversation to have with your almost 6 year old about his birthday present. You were not present last year at the opening of the present. We normally have a pretty tight budget about birthday gifts. I went over last year and purchased a Leap Pad with 3 cartridges. #3 was expressing an interest in learning to read and really loved Curtis' LeapPad. I talked it over with DH, he agreed and we went ahead and bought him his present with accompanying storage case.

#3 opens the gift. DH isn't at home because he has been working 80+ hour week against a deadline. #3 looks at the LeapPad, he looks at me. He looks at the LeapPad, he looks at me and then screams, "I DIDN'T WANT A BOWWWING WEADING GIFT!! I WANTED TWANSFOWMAS!" He then subjected the entire household to the worst hour and a half tantrum I had seen in a very long time.

So to ensure I am not purchasing a "boring reading gift" I check to see if the kid wants a "transformer." Only this year it is a "piwaka."

I had to laugh at the fact that he isn't going to open legos until his brothers move out of the house. Right.