Balloons

Morgan turned 4 on Sunday. I don't like to overwhelm the kiddo with tons of people over for celebrations, so this year I just invited her two next door neighbor friends over for pink cupcakes. Keep it simple, I thought.

The party is this afternoon, so Morgan and I went out for pink helium balloons this morning. What a trip. I selected 3 pink and 3 purple balloons for the associate at Factory Card Outlet to blow up. I left them on the counter for one minute while I looked inside my purse. That was one minute too many.

Morgan promptly applied her fat wet lips all over two of the balloons in an effort to blow them up herself.

I tried reasoning with her, "Morgan, now that lady won't want to touch them because you put your slobber all over them. Stay here while I get two more new balloons."

You think I would have learned.

I brought back the two new balloons only to find Morgan mixing ALL of the balloons together so that we could not locate the original ones she baptized. The associate made it clear that she did not want to touch them.

While I was talking with the store employee, Morgan headed back to the balloon bins and, in a trance like fashion, began to baptize some more balloons with her saliva.

I had had it.

"MORGAN! I grabbed her and told her to sit in the middle of the floor where she could not reach any more." Grrr. Doesn't she realize its her birthday party and I WANT HER TO BE IMMENSELY HAPPY WITH PINK HELIUM BALLOONS? (Side note: Why does my psycho side manifest itself more when I'm trying to do something to make others happy?)

Then I heard my name. "Hello, Emily!"

My new neighbor Erica was behind me. She has twin girls in kindergarten, so I'm sure she knows what its like. I switched from frustrated momma to a gentile "how-nice-to-see-you" neighbor in nanoseconds. Moms have the ability to do that. But only with non-family members.

In the end, Morgan got her balloons, I convinced myself that I would laugh about this later (See, self? What did I tell you?) and brought the bundles of fun home for 2 other squirts to enjoy as well.

In the end, I hope Morgan will remember the fun day instead of the berating session she had with balloons. She's a trip, that Morgan. Man I love her.