Day 520 - Balloons!

One of the pleasures of watching your child grow up is seeing them react to things for the first time. I remember the first time Emma and Andrew saw a dog: they smiled. The first time Emma and Andrew heard a fire engine siren: they cried. The first time they saw my elementary school pictures: they cornered me and took my milk money.

A little over a week ago, Lisa brought home something the kids never saw before: genital herpes. Then a few days after that Lisa brought home a balloon bouquet.

When the kids saw the balloons they didn't know what to say. Granted the kids don't say anything, but they were silent with awe. Lisa put the balloons down in the middle of the room, and the kids initially stayed away from it. After a few seconds, Emma took the first step forward and touched a balloon. When she touched the balloon, I jokingly screamed, "Don't touch it! It's gonna explode and gouge your eyes out!" Boy, that was a hoot!

After Andrew observed that the balloons weren't going to attack him, he also stepped forward to touch them. What I find interesting about Andrew is that despite his boyish hyperactivity and recklessness, he is often tentative about new things. Andrew will watch Emma do something first, and then follow her lead. Hopefully this behavior will not carry into the teenage years when Emma begins wearing make-up.

The kids found it fascinating that no matter what they did with this object to keep it down, it would always come back up (unlike my honeymoon night...). Andrew started to get a little rough with the balloons, and Lisa and I were getting fearful that one of them would pop and scar the kids for life. So we pulled him back and asked him to calm down. You know, a parental request that always works with a 16 month year old boy.

During Andrew's cool down time, Emma was having fun playing with the balloons by herself. When we let Andrew back into action, Emma was not happy about it. Here are some pictures that show what happened:

Notice Andrew in the background approaching the balloons after his stay in solitary.

So far so good -- except for Andrew's goofy face.

Oh oh. Emma takes the balloons away from Andrew.

Emma hides in the corner behind the sofa, but Andrew finds her. Perhaps what gave her away were the balloons that were floating five feet above her.

Emma makes a break for it!

Andrew falls while chasing Emma, and once again, Emma doesn't realize the balloons are giving away her hiding place.