Cheaper?

I took the kids to the gamestore yesterday to replace a broken Nintendo DS.  You can't just have 3 when you have quads unless you want to referee constant battles, which I'm too tired to do.  Of course, taking them to the store with me was not one of my smarter decisions.  Those stores are like crack for kids, except I think crack might be cheaper.  After saying NO about a bajillion times, they were able to decide on one video game and one replacement DS.  Believe me, if I would have allowed them to purchase all they wanted, it would have looked something like this...
4 Nintendo DSI's, 2 new controllers for the Wii, 4 new games for the Wii and X-box, And several little gadgets to hold, protect, and decorate their newly acquired electronics.  Thus, the repetitive use of the word NO!!
As we went to check out, the clerk started asking the traditional questions..."Are the all the same age?" "Did you do fertility stuff?" "Are any of them identical?" "How much did they weigh?" but then one of her questions caught me by surprise.  She had just given me my total  "That will be $140.23 please" and then asked "So, is it cheaper now that you don't have to buy diapers anymore?
Suddenly, the cost of bigger clothes, shoes, a bigger house and car, my McDonalds and Dominos Pizza purchases, not to mention my out of control spending at Wal Mart went flashing through my consciousness. Then there's books, learning supplies, computers, vacations (that we couldn't do when they were babies.)  Oh, and I can't forget the $140 I just dropped in 10 minutes at her store. My eyes were opened wide, along with some brief anxiety ;o)  Suddenly, the $250 a month for diapers seemed irrelevant.
I was only able to come up with one word in that instance...NO.  And that was the bajillion-and-first time I said that word that day!

Even the dead presidents that don't have time to get cozy in my wallet agree that they are gone too soon!

And you know what? I can't think of anything I'd rather spend money on!