I'm not sure there's anything as equally devastating to a three-year-old than the first loss of a balloon, in this case, her prized purple Whole Foods balloon to the sunny Atlanta skies.
Note to self: Just don't tell her that the birds are thankful for her lovely gift. It'll just piss her off more.
Umm, my daughter just had her first "little red balloon popped by the cigarette of an old dude at a birthday party" fiasco. ON. PURPOSE. Complete ass - way to 'eff with a 2 year-olds head.
Posted by: MonkeyBiznazz | December 06, 2007 at 02:30 PM
Oh my goodness, I remember our first balloon loss. It was the day I brought my newborn son home from the hospital. We got an, "It's a boy," balloon and a purple one for almost 2 1/2 year old sister. She was so nervous and excited that she dragged her balloon across a light fixture and it popped after only having it minutes. She burst into hysterical tears and so did my husband and I. We left the baby with my mother and ran out to get her another balloon. My heart just couldn't take it.
Posted by: Kara | December 05, 2007 at 11:00 PM
Poor Q. I'm sending her a big hug.
Posted by: canape | November 30, 2007 at 09:48 AM
Awww poor sweetie.... I love purple! I've somehow been able to avoid balloons.. at least the helium filled ones from the stores. They just fight over them in the car anyway... no matter that they're the EXACT same color, with the EXACT same string...
Posted by: Monica | November 30, 2007 at 01:00 AM
Poor kid. It's gotta be hard for her.
But I hate balloons too, Manic Mommy. Besides the trauma of the latex ones choking kids to death, I hate having to duck under them to get through the damned door or go anywhere inside a store that has an f'ing balloon display hanging down. You know, since I'm like 7-feet tall and all. Damn things on strings poking me in the eyes.
Tell her balloons are evil, and that they hurt people. Tall ladies like her mommy.
Posted by: mldubose | November 30, 2007 at 12:07 AM
Yes! We still have a mylar halloween ghost. Quinlan (the sweet girl that she is) said "At least we still have that balloon, mommy..."
That was after a good 30 minutes of crying.
PHEW.
Posted by: Kristen | November 29, 2007 at 11:23 PM
Cordy's first balloon was a giant one we received when we bought our car last year. She loved it so much, carefully carried it from the car into our house, where it promptly touched the ceiling and popped. She cried and cried.
Mylar balloons, we've learned, are much better. And they can last for up to a month!
Posted by: Christina | November 29, 2007 at 11:17 PM
Oh, man. One time when my mom was visiting and my oldest was probably 3 or 4, she let go of his green balloon and it floated away. Like a year later when she was visiting again and we were in a restaurant that gave away balloons, the kid asked my mom about the balloon she had lost for him. He even remembered it was green. Incredible.
Posted by: Stimey | November 29, 2007 at 11:13 PM
Bumper is in solidarity with her - we still have a bunch of balloons from Canadian Thanksgiving (early Oct!) hanging around and taking up far too much space in our tiny apartment. If they disappeared, there would be hell and tears to pay.
Posted by: motherbumper | November 29, 2007 at 09:19 PM
I hate balloons. I always envision the inevitable pop and subsequent blockage of the trachea.
From an early age (cause they're so grown up now), I've taught them the 'fun' of letting them go and watching them float away.
That's what they think you do with balloons. Fine by me.
Posted by: Manic Mommy | November 29, 2007 at 05:55 PM
Oh, I'd say that the balloon light saber that the clown just gave to them that just touched the dry Atlanta grass and popped immediately is worse.
I pop all balloons after bedtime. Balloons are a one day thing at best.
Posted by: Jill | November 29, 2007 at 05:28 PM
Don't underestimate the power of a lost balloon on a child's psyche. My daughter lost her first balloon at age 3 too and it traumatized her to the point that we can't go to restaurants or grocery stores that offer balloons. She is almost 6 now. Her first question when we tell her we are going to a new restaurant is, "Will there be balloons there?" You can only imagine what birthday parties are like.
Posted by: Tangsongshan | November 29, 2007 at 05:27 PM
When this happens at our house I tell the kids my father (who died) will take care of the balloon for them, they know how much he loved balloons. We watch it till it's out of sight then we know he's caught it.
Posted by: Shannon | November 29, 2007 at 04:32 PM
Awww, poor Quinlan. Purple is the best colour too.
Posted by: Procrastamom | November 29, 2007 at 04:10 PM