"Dora Cards"

I don't think I have ever heard my 2 1/2 year-old say, "I want" so many times in her life! She found a Nickelodeon brochure for toys, games, etc. There is Dora stuff all over it, practically screaming, "If you don't own me, you are worthless!" So, of course, Sage points to all the items she does not have, only reminded by us, her parents who are trying to instill some sense of gratitude in their toddler daughter, the toys that she actually does have. So what do you do when you can't have the toys in the catalog? Yep! Cut them out. Ryan cut out the Dora Castle and all of its components (probably cost extra too). I decided to give them a little longer play-life and glued them onto cardboard. The little "Dora Cards" go everywhere. They live in a paper cup, talk to each other, go in the castle, and, wouldn't you know it, GET LOST! We lost Dora riding in her horse carriage yesterday only to find Aspen walking around with it, chewing on it with much delight. Sage loves the "toys" but keeps asking if we can get the real ones. Ryan finally told her she might be able to get them when she is 4. Now we hear, "When I am 4, I am going to get the Dora toys." Ryan decided to hide the catalog, but didn't tell me he was going to hide it, and left me with Sage asking all day, "Mom, where is my magazine?" He gave it back to her. What is life without wants and desires? We just need to continue to educate as best we can. But I will say that I have been very quick to turn the tube off when the commercials come on (on TIVO anyway). No need to feed the desires any more than necessary.