Where did I go wrong?

I have been grooming my girls from day one to be shoppers. EE (that would be my oldest, learn it--its what I'll call her from now on) was at a mall when she was 5 days old, looking for that perfect "I'm in a wedding 1 week after I'm born, how hard do I really have to work to be cute?" dress. She was raised for 9 months at the mother of all malls--The Mall of America. Man, I miss living 15 minutes away from that place. Anyway, she's been to the mall with me LOTS of times. And LC (younger dd, again--learn it) may not have seen a mall as soon as EE, but now if you ask her where she wants to go after dropping EE off at preschool she will say "Mall!"

So where was all this shopping enthusiasm yesterday? I heard "I'm bored" too many times to count. We had whining, we had begging (by me--for them to be quiet and shop like good little girls), we had bribes, we had candy, we had cookies. We played at the play area. We walked through Build-a-Bear . . . twice. Yet my little shoppers were not on their best behavior yesterday. What do they think, that they are just 5 and 2.5? Oh, wait . . . they are.

After coming home, I had EE try on a few things that I got. To which she promptly told me, "Mom, you buy me too many things". Wish it was me and not you, honey!! Ungrateful brat. Just kidding. ;)

A couple of side notes:

1. I hate Easter. And Christmas for that fact. I hate trying to find something for the girls to wear because they are not "girly" girls. They don't wear gloves and hats and patent leather shoes. I hate spending the money on an outfit that they will wear once. I saw lots of things that would look cute on other people's kids, but not mine. I think my goal every year is to see just how little I can spend on their outfits and still get them coming out half-way cute. Right now my total is up to $9.81 cents spent and all I need to get yet are shoes for both of them. Yes, both of them will be clothed for that price. Its called hand-me-downs, people! :)

2. I also hate shopping without money to spend. Oh, look at those adorable new style of Crocs that are cute and I would love to have for spring! Oh, look at that super-cute handbag I need! Oh, look at that "must-have" line at Baby Gap that is done in big sunflowers and yellow and brown and would look ADORABLE on LC! Yeah, none of it will ever happen. Yet I continue to go to the mall and torture myself anyway.

Off to finish cleaning my house. If I'm feeling very generous I might actually shovel snow, too. Wow, what a life.