Sam Popped my Balloon!!

When my parents were in town visiting, we had lunch at Red Robin. Anyone familiar with Red Robin knows that as a kid, the highlight of the visit is getting a balloon.  After Alaina was good and finished what I evaluated as an acceptable amount of her lunch, we let her pick a balloon from the hostess stand at the front.  We were very careful to hang on to it outside and it made it all the way home safe.  As most know, balloons quickly loose their novelty.  This balloon was no exception! By that evening it was already floating ghostlike around the family room at eye level and by the next morning it was grazing the floor.  The appeal, other than occasionally unnerving the dog, was lost. The balloon floated around a few more days and received the occasional kick to get it out of the way.  Finally after work one night I scooped it up and handed it to Daddy and asked him quietly to deflate and dispose of the balloon.  He took a pair of scissors to the balloon and let the air out and then placed the balloon on the desk next to him to be thrown away.
Unfortunately, the balloon got left on the desk overnight and the next morning, Sam, our cat, noticed the dangling ribbon hanging down.  Being the playful cat he is, he latched onto the ribbon with his teeth and took off across the room, pulling the deflated balloon after him.  After a conversation with Daddy about why we do not leave deflated balloons lying around with little ones, I asked him to take it away from the cat.  However, before Daddy had a chance, Alaina entered the room and spotted her prize balloon in the clutches of a large feline.
Alaina: "SAM! YOU POPPED LAINA'S BALLOON?!?" (Yes, she talks about herself in the third person...frequently)
Sam: *Look of confusion*
A: "Sam!!  You NAUGHTY kitty! You no pop Laina's balloon! You go to TIME OUT!!!"
Daddy: "Alaina, Sam is a kitty.  He doesn't go to timeout."
A: "Sam popped Laina's ballon! *And other Alaina-isms we can't quite understand about eating her lunch and getting her balloon.*"
D: *Talking to Sam* "Sorry buddy, you're just going to have to take the heat for this one..."


Even though Sam had nothing to do with the popping of "Laina's Balloon" we had to let him to take the hit on this one.  Nobody wants to confess to their child that they popped their 'beloved' balloon.  Thankfully in the future there will be another trip to Red Robin, and I am sure, another balloon...

The Purple Coat

Mornings are always a little hectic trying to get everyone out the door.  Usually by this time of the morning we have already overcome five obstacles and are now trying to rush to get everyone in shoes and coats to get out the door "on time." (Does "on time" exist when you have kids?) The weather had been warming up and the morning was starting off at a balmy 61 degrees, which for the end of February in Nebraska is pretty uncommon.  We knew Alaina would be playing outside at school so Teddy told her that since it was so warm she could wear her blue jacket.  The issue? She didn't WANT her blue jacket, she wanted her PURPLE winter coat.  
Daddy: "Alaina, it's warm out today.  You can wear your blue jacket."
Alaina: "I want my purple coat!"
D: "It's too warm for the purple coat." *Picks up blue jacket* "Let's get our blue jacket on and go to school."
A: "It's cold outside!"
D: "It's not cold outside today.  It's warm.  You can wear your jacket - come on."
A: "I want my purple coat."
D: "Alaina, I said it's too warm.  Come on."
A: "It's cold!"
D: *Looks at Mommy annoyed*
A: *Gets up and stands next to front door and pretends to shiver*
A: "See Daddy, It's COLD! Brrrr!"
D: "Alaina..."
A: "I need my purple coat."


Alaina:1 Daddy: 0

I Never Want to Forget

I think this blog will primarily be for my own amusement, but, if others are amused in the process then that is great! Last week I was talking to my mom and we were discussing some funny things Alaina (my daughter) said and I laughed that these were things I never want to forget. Yet, over the past few years there are so many things she has said or done that I thought that about, and I may or may not be able to recall them to memory now. 
 From this conversation, the idea for this blog was born. I envision a mixture of current stories mixed in with things I call to memory from years past. All things I want to remember and treasure in years to come.