Birthdays gifts and badly kept secrets


With Christmas around the corner I was going through my wish list checking to see what gifts I’d saved away, and I came upon this - a bunch of wallets, flashy ones - one with a peacock feather motif, another one all gold and shimmery and a third bright pink one. 






I stared at them. And I wondered. Not for the life of me could I fathom in what fit of bling I had 'wish-listed' these. My memory is not quite what it used to be, but I was certain I wouldn't do this. It just wasn’t me. 

Before I go on, you need to know that my birthday is round the corner. And nobody  is ever as excited about it as H and N -- not my friends, not my parents, definitely not the Husband (who once made the cardinal error of forgetting it, and is not likely to forget it in a hurry ever again) and most definitely not I. I mean of course I like it when someone remembers it but that's where it should end. The hoo-haa is kind of embarrassing but then when have the kids ever worried about what embarrasses me? They start planning months in advance and they make up for everyone else ... they create enough of a hoo-haa to satisfy the most hoo-haa craving person.

Every year they scrimp and scrounge to get me a small gift. This year they decided to enlist the help of Mr Moneybags - the Husband. I've overheard secret phone calls which they think I have no clue about and eavesdropped on whispered arguments which they think I cannot hear. 

They first convinced him to order a book from Amazon. The rather proactive Husband, did so right away and I received my birthday gift in November - more than a month in advance. 

I was suitably surprised at how apt their choice was and very thrilled too … but the children decided it came too early and so didn't really qualify as a birthday gift. Now, they have taken things in their own more capable hands, or so they think, and they've been furiously surfing Amazon. Only - they have no clue that the things they 'secretly' save in a wishlist is my wishlist. That's how those clutches/wallets came from - all N's choice!

Since I made the discovery I've been logging in everyday to see a new set of gifts. They seem to change their mind everyday. The latest is this - a personalised 'I love you mama' cushion and a World's Best Mom trophy.




I'm waiting with baited breath to see which one makes it to the final day.

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