Probation

For the second time in his short life, Ethan is on probation--receipt probation. Yes, that's right, I had to take receipts away from him...again.

I'm not really sure why Ethan loves receipts. It's not like I dangled one in front of him and told him he could have it if he was realllly good. I don't get it, at all. Really, he's fascinated with the whole process of paying. He wants to run the credit card or hand money to the clerk. Then, he gets so excited for that little piece of paper to come out of the cash register. And, if we happen to get a coupon, too....well he is in total seventh heaven. He walks out of the store with the biggest smile on his face and talks the whole way out to the car and all the way home about his newest treasures. Then he saves the receipts and/or coupons in his little wallet here at home. He knows where every one of them came from--Wal-Mart, HyVee, Walgreens, Ace, McDonald's, wherever; he knows them all. There isn't a day that goes by that we don't talk about receipts in this house. The store employees always give us a funny look and a little smile when the see how much my son wants that receipt. It's kind of cute, really. Until it isn't.

Everyone with kids has had that moment in the store. You know the one. Where your sweet little baby turns into a great big monster. Screaming, crying, kicking. You know. Most kids throw their tantrums over candy or toys or something reasonable. Not my son. Not once has he cried over anything that I did or did not purchase. No. He cries over receipts. If it comes out crinkled or torn or too big or worst of all, mommy or daddy actually need the receipt. That's when it comes. The fit.

The first time was at Wal-Mart. The receipt was "too big" that day. He wanted a small one. Who would have thought? He threw himself down in the cart, screaming. To make matters worse, he bumped Wyatt on the way down. So, now I have two kids crying in Wal-Mart over a receipt that happened to be too big. Awesome. That was too much for me. Probation #1. That was several months ago.

Sometime around Christmas, my heart softened. Must have been the jolly feelings of the season. Now, I wonder what I was thinking. He was so funny about it. Every time we would go somewhere he'd say, "Mommy, can I have the receipt? I'll be happy about it!" So cute, right!? So we caved. He had his receipts back again and everything was hunky dory. Until last week when Daddy brought him to Ace. Daddy happened to need the receipt that day. Not good. Ethan cried out of the store, all the way home, and then for another 20 or so minutes here at home. All over a piece of paper. I can't explain the frustration this causes me. Really....are we doing all of this over a piece of paper? I don't understand it. I probably never will. But for now, we are on probation again. I told him he wasn't getting them back ever. But, we'll see. It certainly hasn't stopped him from asking for them and talking about them.

Receipts--who knew?!