Cookies-.25 cents. Gabriella-Priceless

Each night for at least the last two weeks Gabriella has been asking if the next day was the sale. We would try explaining to her again that the sale was not for many, many, many more days. Time frames are hard for 3 year olds to understand. And she wanted the sale to come SO bad. What sale you might be wondering. Oh, that would be the city wide garage sale our neighborhood has twice a year.

Let me back up a bit.

Just after Joe's parents left a few weeks ago we were in a store and Gabs fell in love with a doctor kit she saw. She wanted it so badly. Not only for the medical instruments, but also for the big carrying box it all came in. She thought would be perfect for her new puppy.

Of course, like all little children, I say "No" to something each and every time we go into a store. This time was no different. Plus, she had just been spoiled by her grandma and grandpa. We were in no need for more new things. But, not thinking too clearly I mentioned it. I mentioned the garage sale. And she did not let me forget.

I told her that if she wanted to sell some of the things she doesn't play with at home, she could earn the money for the doctor kit. She was fine with that. I took inventory real quick in my mind and knew right away that there would be no way she would have anything to sell to justify us sitting outside in our garage for hours so she could earn money. We only have three years worth of toys built up around here and I purge the toy box so regularly, that nothing would be going. I'm still too attached. I can't possibly be at a stage in my life where I am garage selling toys already can I?

No. No toys would be going.

So we decided that cookies could be her business for earning money. She couldn't wait. Everyday she's been asking if tomorrow was the sale.

This morning, Gwen and I were already awake, I heard Gabs in her room. Usually she just comes right out when she wakes up, so I walk into her room to see what was going on. As I pushed the door open, I could hear chanting. She's laying on her bed, with her feet up in the air and her fists pumping the air saying, "Sale day. Sale day. Sale day." It was like Christmas morning for her.

We hurried and ate breakfast, got dressed (she picked out her most "princessesy" dress to wear) and she made a sign. Cookies .25 cents.

She was adorable with those cookies. She sold those things like it was nobodies business. In fact, we sold all 6 dozen cookies in an hour. One time Gabs got distracted with the things at the garage sell and Gwen sat down and started yelling to all the people walking past, "Buy cookie. Buy cookie." Not as a question, but more of a demand! It was irresistible. The people obliged and bought cookies from her.

I'm sure we could have sat out there all day and sold cookies for .50 cents or a dollar. But that wasn't my goal. I didn't care about a profit. I really just wanted her to feel like she was earning the money herself. I wanted her to feel proud of herself. I wanted her to be polite when costumers came. I wanted her to learn responsibility. I wanted her to feel the satisfaction of working for something.

I don't know if she did learn any of that, but she sure was proud when she walked up to the counter at the store and handed the clerk her wad of 1's and a handful of quarters. I was pretty proud too. My little girl is growing up.

And she loves her new doctor kit. Look at these good sports amusing her while she takes their temperature and checks their ears. Seriously, priceless.