Monday, October 20

want: part 1

So I indulged myself recently. I went out and got myself one of those new fangled iTouch thingamajigs. I already had a first generation nano (remember, when they were bigger than a chicklet?) to make my bad dangerous eclectic taste in music portable, what more could I need? The Luddite cheapskate side of my brain shouted "it was new in 2005 which wasn't that long ago, don't bother to see what updates and changes have been made" (that side of my brain isn't very succinct but sure is opinionated) so I felt no need to update my i-anything.

Then I saw the iTouch and the feeling of complete need and want for updating became pronounced.

And loud.

In my head.

What can I say? Sometimes I give in to my consumer urges (but only when justified, I swear on that pile of Hello Kitty post it notes over in my desk organizer - seriously, they are so cute and irresistible you'd find the justification too)

So a good price was found, it was in stock, and I decided to part from my cash, which I must admit was difficult. Ever since I gave up shopping - seriously, I did - I have had these real problems parting with money - it's like my wallet suffers from extreme separation anxiety.

Except when it comes to chocolate, not that that fact has any relevance to this story and only serves to confirm that I am capable of something normal... but I digress.

The reaction that I received when I got home with the new toy was definitely not expected.

Actually, SB's was expected: he was pleased because (a) he loves new stuff like this and (b) it wasn't his money. Holy crap, it's like we have two laptops now, it's awesome, how could he not be happy? Am I the only one who hears the sounds of my justification echoing in that last sentence? No? Cool, let me resume trying justify the guilt I feel for making purchases over 43 cents.

Anyhow, Gigi's reaction, well it was a bit more emotional than I thought it was going to be.

It all started when she saw how excited we were when we were opening the fancy casing around the new toy (for those learning from this "case study" part of the post, the action of opening the iTouch in front of child is MISTAKE #1).

Immediately she assumed it was hers.

We gently explained that it was mine and very fragile. We then talked about an incident at a recent playdate where another little girl kept playing with forbidden fancy snow globes and one eventually got smashed. Holy crap, Gigi is so sick of that story but holy great illustration of an important point that she understood. If you could see the dirty look she gives me when I start talking about the freakin' snow globe.

She pouted and I explained that no one was going to play with the new thing, I just had to set it up, get it charged, and synced up (which she probably understands because OMG she can turn on, play, and quit on Super Mario for the DS ~ and she does it all properly - I do not understand how she figures this stuff out, no one plays in front of her ~ could her gaming prowess be a result of genetics?).

She bought what I told her but she still pouted. At least the whining stopped.

Then she asked if I could share the new iPod with her and so help me, I didn't pull out the snow globe story again but I was this freakin' close because she was totally persistent.

Then she offered me a banana...
... and what can I say, I was hungry.

No seriously, I didn't go for the banana, but OMG she tried to sell me on it - hardcore. It went from, "hey mom, I'll give you a banana, and you give me the iPod" - isn't that cute, she doesn't know her iTouch from iPod - to having her one inch away from my face, screaming as loud as possible "MOM! PLEASE! Give! Me! The! iPod! Now! I! Give! You! Banana! PLEASE!"

I admire her sales pitch. And vocal range.

Anyhow, eventually the constant screaming numbed my senses and I gave in. I let her hold it and touch the screen but I'm not kidding, the entire time I was taking this photo I was hovering around her like a humming bird, chirping "don't drop it, be careful, omg, don't drop it - it's fragile Gigi, really REALLY fragile".

Now I see where she gets the "in your face" from. I honestly didn't see that revelation to come from writing this post. Seriously, I didn't. Revelations and motherbumper posts just don't go hand-in-hand.

But as the photos shows, she got to hold it, albeit for something around 90 seconds and that, I hoped, was the end of the curiosity.

Oh trust me, I hear you laughing from here and I haven't even pressed publish yet.

I'm not exaggerating when stating that not one of her waking hours has passed since the purchase where she hasn't asked for it. Wait, she may have not asked her teacher about it at school, but it wouldn't surprise me if she told them her side of the story. A story that left them wondering why it isn't her iPod because trust me, she's slick and can play heart strings like no ones business.

Needless to say, due to this "want" predicament, I do no iTouching until she's in bed and I can be alone with my new friend. Every one feels a little bitter in the battle of the "wants". I really shouldn't complain about this stuff yet I do.

23 comments:

Run ANC said...

It's probably not a good idea to iTouch yourself until the kid is in bed anyways. ;-)

(And omg, I totally save all chocolate until the kids are sleeping simply because I don't want to share. Oh yeah. I'm a grownup.)

MARY G said...

I'm sorry, I can't stop snickering, but you have my sympathy. You really, [choke, snort] do.
Do they grow out of it? Nope. I have a daughter who occasionally scores my clothes, but who gives me lots of hers. I found myself sort of hiding a garment not long ago. Guilty? Yep.
You laid this out so well. Love it!

Karen Bodkin said...

rookie.

hoppytoddle said...

I thought the Stay Puff Marshmellow Man died long ago in the Ghostbusters, but apparently he is alive & well & is POSSESSING YOUR SOUL!!!

Bejeebus, lady!

*I am offically the Meanest Mom That Ever Lived. I had no idea. I thought I was sweet & placating. Huz was making me feel like I am lemming. No such worries. Thanks for that validation.*

(I am just whiny because I have a power cord being held onto my laptop with a rubberband.)

April said...

uhg, we've all made those mistakes before. light at the end of the tunnel? no. train.

Mayberry said...

This is why I can't even use my laptop when any kids are in range (and by "in range" I mean "anywhere in the house").

kittenpie said...

Hey, I say there's plenty of stuff in the world that is not going to be theirs, so they might as well get used to hearing no from someone they know loves them. It should at least soften the blow a bit, right? And we totally overexplain everything, so I thin the snowglobe story is a perfect way to use a concrete example. And good practice for her teenage eyerolling skills.

Ali said...

okay...but seriously...how much are you LOVING that iTouch!@?!?!?!

Laurel (without Hardy) said...

Your Gigi is so cute. My kids play the same games with me. The bad thing is I taught them "the look" to use on their dad. Bad idea. They now use it on me to get their way. Ugh.

P.S. have fun with your i-pod lol.

Tania said...

I'm a little nervous about the implied part II coming up.

Kat said...

I got my iTouch last week and I am in love with it. You will have so much fun! Twittering is so nice when I don't have to sit in front of the computer!

sam {temptingmama} said...

I gave Carter my really super old point and shoot so he would keep his mitts off my iTouch. He's pretty good about the electronics and not touching... accept for the keyboard on the laptop. For some reason whenever he's even in the vicinity he has to touch.. it's like his fingers are magnets and the keys are metal. LOL

for a different kind of girl said...

So, let's just say the begging and the touching and the what have you continues to the point that you grow a little tired of it. My birthday is in a few weeks, and if you just want to package that up and send that thing off to me, I'd be down with helping a fellow Mom out. I won't even whine.

Unless it will help. I can totally whine.

Anonymous said...

my 11 year old hounds me so much to use mine (the games), we call it the iCan'tTouch in my house. For Real.

Julie Feinstein said...

Amazing story and great writing and a lesson I hope I remember when opening new things in my house as my already too curious boy gets older.

Thank you!

mamatulip said...

Oliver is OBSESSED with my iTouch. Obsessed. He loves to turn it on and fiddle around with it.

I have to really watch where I leave it - because if it's within reach, he's got his sticky fingers all over it, guaranteed.

Chicky Chicky Baby said...

I've seen you part w/ your money for chocolate. It's impressive to witness. But now I have iTouch envy. I'll give you a Reese's if you let me play with it.

Laura said...

iLove this post, because iUnderstand. iOnce had a snowglobe,too.

the mama bird diaries said...

At this point, my husband and my 4 year-old pretty much share an iPhone.

MarĂ­a said...

Is it weird that if I lived near you she and I would be fighting over YOUR iPod? Hmm...

Kyla said...

Yesterday KayTar was on the laptop and suddenly said, "Hey Mom! I need you to give me your cell phone." And I said, "What? No, you can't have my cell phone." And she said, "Just say 'Whatever.' and then you give it to me!" I said, "I don't think so." And then it devolved into the iTouch/banana thing, except she wasn't even offering me a banana!

Don't these kids know they are only 3?! We are in trouble.

Anissa Mayhew said...

I! Take! ITouch! You! Take! Crappy! Old! IPOD! NOWNOWNOWNOWNOWNOWNOW

Did it work?

Christina said...

Ah yes, I know that feeling. Every day I take the remote, iPod, Nintendo DS, daddy's Palm, mommy's Palm, Mommy's DS, the other remote control, the Flip camera, and the graphing calculator out of Mira's hands at least 10 time each.

I have no idea how she finds them each time, but she has a strong desire for electronics. Anytime I walk past her I'm taking something out of her hands. She used to get upset. Now she just goes off to find the next device left within her reach.