Somebody is getting a good Christmas

On Black Friday we went to Wal-Mart to purchase some fabric for Christmas stockings (is my timing bad, or is my timing bad? Why I HAD to go on Friday is beyond me).  Anyway, while I was perusing my options, my husband child was wandering around the sewing department, entertaining himself.  After being there for a few minutes he approached me from the end of an aisle with something in his hands and a pleading look on his face that said, "I don't know how to ask this in a way that will make you say "yes", but I reeeeally want to take this home with me".

It was a gaming system.  One that I don't care to name, lest I annoy myself further. He found it stashed in the sewing department (though I do not think I believe him...electronics is one aisle over. Hmmmm.)

He made his case. I said "no". He adjusted his plea. I said "no". He made a call or two.  I said "how?".

In the end, it worked out in his favor, and that infernal thing landed in our shopping cart.  The boy couldn't have looked more giddy.

In the meantime I was feeling physically terrible.  There are times during this pregnancy when it feels like my heart is racing and there simply isn't enough blood volume to keep up.  I was more than ready to go home, drink a gallon or two of water, and rest, so we proceeded to the cheerless associate who was standing ready to cut my fabric for me. 

While she did so, I heard Darren on the phone with his brother bragging about the outstanding Black Friday deal we had stumbled upon.  It was in that moment that my epiphane happened.

I turned to him and said, "You know this counts towards your Christmas presents from me, right? That thing is going under the Christmas tree, wrapped, until Christmas Day."

He quit speaking. His face fell. He hung up the phone. His eyes got big. He walked closer and begged, "No...you can't do that. That would kill me!"

The cheerless Wal-Mart associate smiled for the first time. "OH! Boy, she be so mean to you! How you do that to him and say he cain't play that till Christmas?? Your po' baby. Po' baby!"

I've never felt so triumphant in my life.

And that box looks so lovely under the tree.