Shopping at Target

Raleigh's birthday is Friday. He'll be five. When I picked up Austin from camp today and asked him what he wanted to do, he said he wanted to get a secret gift for Raleigh. He's just like me and my mother before me. Once a gift is in hand it is all we can do to prevent giving it to the other person right away. The word "secret" was key. 

We discussed what a great gift might be and his thoughts were profound. 

"Well I do know one thing. I shouldn't get him something that I want. It's easy when it's for a friend but when it's your brother he's there every second of your life." Soooo truuuue. (Spoken from the girl with two younger brothers of her own who learned to divide everything into thirds as a result.) He thought a little more. 

We made our way to Target and into the dress department for me (as if I needed an excuse to fuel my raging maxi skirt addiction) and he begged me to let him go to the toy department to pick out a present while I finished shopping. I conceded and (I thought) told him I'd meet him there. Just as I was rounding the Legos into the Littlest Pet Shop and thinking that it was way too quiet back there I heard, "ERIN JOHNSON. PLEASE MEET YOUR PARTY AT GUEST SERVICES." Yes folks. I'm that mother. The one who let her kid roam wild in Target and had no meet-up plan. 

He was calm as I approached him, and had picked out a ROCKIN' birthday present for his brother (a Zombie Attack Nerf gun,) but confessed, "I started to get a little worried." I reassured him, "You know I would never leave you. Why didn't you just come back to the dresses?" He whispered, "All the clothing looks the same to me." 

As we left the checkout line I circled back to the "secret" and asked, "So, what's your plan for keeping that gift a secret from your brother? How are we going to hide it?" He thought only momentarily before responding, "Um, bury it?" 

Ok. 

If we're ever on the lam I've got the right kid.