Random Rewards

Whenever we go to the grocery store we start at one end of the toy isle (why, oh why did they put a toy isle...okay I KNOW why...but you know what I mean...) and Ben can pick up whatever he wants and look at it until we get to the end of the isle. Then I tell him we must put it back for another little boy to look at too.
He always says "can we bring this dump truck/tractor/bubble kit/playdough/car home?"
I say, "maybe another day, Ben" and distract him with whatever is first on our shopping list to find.  He always obediently puts his find back on the shelf.

On this particular day he had a cart full of random finds; a curly straw cup, music set, watergun, toy blender and animal crackers. He was holding all of them and wouldn't let me help.
"Okay Ben, put the things back on the shelf. We are going to go see if we can find some nice red apples. How many should we buy?"
 Ben clung to his load of loot.
"Can we bring these things home Mommy? Please?"
 "Not today honey. Maybe another day. Should we get green apples too?"
Those big green eyes welled with tears. I could hear him whisper something under his breath.
"Padron me, Ben?"
"Then what day mommy? What day can we bring these things home with me to play?"

Oh how quickly my stomach dropped to my feet. For probably two years now he has waited patiently for THE day. It has never come...I just hadn't thought.

"Today Ben! You're right! Todays the day!"
"Which thing can I have at my home?"

And becuase of his sweetness and my extreme guilt at my oversight I caved...mostly I needed to see those green eyes light up again.

"All the things Benny! You have been so patient to wait, I think you can have all those things!"

Whew. Oh boy did those eyes light up!

He wouldn't let me put anything in the cart for fear I would sneak something back on the shelf so he clung to everything for the next hour while we did our shopping and shouting proudly to everyone that would listen;

"LOOK WHAT MY MOMMY IS BUYING ME BECAUSE I MAKE GOOD CHOICES!"