Terrible traumas

with balloons today.

Yesterday the children were with A again, although we went late and I picked them up early. Given that she’d even brought in a tv and some videos for them, they were very happy to be there 🙂

Reason for picking them up early was because it was J’s birthday party, and they were both invited. It was at one of these play places, and I have to say it was actually rather pleasant. Got to do my standard fish out of water thing, not knowing any of the parents at all, but I’m getting remarkably good at looking civilised (or I assume I am, ppl seem quite happy to make small talk with me!) so it wasn’t too bad.

The children had a fantastic time. Small was very happy to be going to a party (wasn’t sure that he knew what a party was, not sure he’s been invited to one in his own right before) and had shoes off and disappeared into the distance within seconds of us finally making it there. (Missed the turn the first run through, then to come back had to turn right twice in quick succession in rush hour traffic. We were a little late.) Couple of funnies – they played pass the parcel, and I’m sure he’s never played that before. He really wasn’t getting why I kept asking him to pass it on when other ppl were getting to unwrap it and get sweets out, and each time he passed it on, he got just a tiny bit more deflated. And then when it was finally his turn, he won! He was ever so impressed with the little colouring book and crayons. And then a bit later I noticed that the small pack of older boys were ganging up on him. It would appear that at not quite three he isn’t a push over though – he backed them down, by sheer force of will power I think. One to watch, my little boy.

So to this morning, and they had the party bags out, complete with caterpillar balloons. Finally managed to blow Small’s up, and get Big’s started. She proceeded to blow it up, and let it down, and blow it up, and let it down and blow it up until…you guessed it. You knew that was going to happen, didn’t you? So did I. But you didn’t know that somehow I was going to hold my tongue, bite back the “warned you that would happen” and just cuddle her while she cried. I was ever so impressed with myself – the whole maternal caring cuddling thing doesn’t come easily, and I’m trying to remind myself atm that I don’t get nearly enough time to just cuddle and be there for them, so I need to seize every chance that I can.

Then Small came bumbling in and we explained what had happened, and immediately he offered her his balloon – “share!” I’m sure I read somewhere recently that three year olds don’t do that – guess my nearly three year old can’t read then 😉 A bit later the cat got his balloon anyway, so that was the end of that. And when he shed a tear, Big went and found him a normal balloon, and that brought his smiles out again.

Other than that, they were pretty tired today, so they were fairly subdued. And then we all had a difficult afternoon in the wind – part of the fence blew down, and the house over the road had its alarm going off all afternoon. Headaches all round I’m afraid.

Mother popped in for a cuppa and that was quite pleasant, and that was pretty much it. Oh and the work that I was supposed to be finishing up today so that I could have a relaxed weekend off has magically extended, so I’m not quite in wind down mode yet.

Hohum.