Bigger kids, bigger prices...

Oh, the days of easy Christmas shopping. I remember being so happy to find the perfect little "hot" item for my children. Really, by little I am talking a $25.00 Polly Pocket van or playground or something like that. Not so today. It was just last year that she was so into Polly. Nope. Now Polly is "so not cool, mom-uh". Ok, then maybe a CD player? Yeah, right. Last year it was an iPod. Well, we opted for the Zen Micro because it had a FM player and I get tired of hearing, "can you change the station, please..." when we are driving. Annoying.

This year, the list has two items! Cool! Ha! One is a blackberry and one is "a bunch of Abercrombie and Fitch" clothing. I don't know about you but I have tolerated that store many times. I can't hear myself think and although it smells awesome when you go in, by the time you leave your head is pounding and your nose is clogged. Yes, some of the clothes are cute, but even the XL looks like a M. So...out of the question for me by far. Even if I did want to be cool.

I have a few weeks to work my magic on getting out of this one, but you know that "Mother Magic" is the best. I will keep you posted.

Birds and the bees...

So, my daughter and I drove out to my MIL's house for a kiddie Halloween party yesterday. The drive would take about 45 minutes to an hour. Nice alone time with the youngest, I thought. As I was tooling along, I realized that it was relatively silent. I mean, there was the radio playing softly, but no teenage jabber going on. When I was thinking "alone time", I didn't mean her over there with her iPod plugged in and me listening to the radio. I was kind of hoping for some interaction. You know, mom to daughter conversation. Apparently, daughter had different ideas.

Well, I needed to change that, so I decided to take the opportunity to start a discussion of sex. Yep, it was probably a couple years overdue, even though I didn't want to believe it. The experts (who?) say kids know more than we think they do at a young age. I wanted to be the responsible parent and let her know she could talk to me about it now, not when it was too late. I don't really remember how I approached this with my two older daughters (yep, memory lapses). I would have to go by my gut...

Conversation went like this:

Me, loudly at first to get over the iPod: SO, I WAS THINKING THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD DISCUSS THE BIRDS AND THE BEES.

Her: Huh? What birds and bees, mom? (maybe that was only when I was young)

Me: You know--sex.

Her: Oh. Well, mom, we already did that for the last 3 years in school. I'm good.

Me: Yeah, I know but the way they talk about it in school is much different than how it is talked about on the streets with friends and computers and things.

Her: Like...

Me (OK, here goes): Well, for one I am sure that when you learned it in school, they spoke of menstruation, intercourse, vagina's, and penises, and I highly doubt that is how it is referred to between friends and such. Right? (Whew)

Her: Hehe. Yeah, you're right. But we know what it means. I'm good, mom.

Me, (this is NOT going to end this soon): Well, I just want you to know that if you have any questions, you do not have to be embarrassed to ask me. I know that you kids today have at you disposal so many different ways of hearing, seeing, reading and watching things that have to do with sex. And, they are sometimes blown out of proportion, like people add stuff and make it look like that is how it is supposed to be but it is usually not.

Her: OK, mom. I am not embarrassed. It just isn't a big thing in my world right now and by the way, I am not going to even have sex until I get married.

Me: That's what I thought. But, next year on the way to grama's, let's recap this, ok?

Her: Whatev.

And just like that the iPod was cranked back up. Only took about 20 minutes, if that. So, I did a little bonding there. I'll take it.