How a Kind Gesture and Two Timbits Cost Me My Daughter's Friendship.

Before I had kids, the gifts I would give to the little people in my life were often noisy, messy, big...you know, the ones the kids love but the parents glare at you for giving. Bubble making machines, fire trucks with real sirens, little drums and even harmless balloons usually topped the list. I would often laugh and say,"Come on, they're only young once." Boy how things have changed - yesterday I was on the flipside of that equation.

So let me set the scene:

Happy three year old finishes her Irish dance lesson and leaves the studio to put on her coat.

Enter kind Irish dance teacher: "Here Devin, have a balloon."

Enter crazed mother who regrets eating those two Timbits at 4:00 that surely slowed her down just enough to cause her not to intercept said balloon.

"Thank you Miss Dance Teacher." Damn I was too slow and couldn't get to said balloon first-but gotta admit, I did raise a polite little girl.

"Look Mummy, a PINK (had to be her favourite colour didn't it?) balloon for me!"

"Wow, Devin, you're so lucky." If looks could kill, that dance teacher would have been attacked by a bunch of shillaleigh wielding leprechauns that would have made Tanya Harding look like Tinkerbell.

So off we head to home.

"I love my balloon Mummy."
"The balloon needs a seatbelt on Mummy."
"Shhhh Mummy, I am listening to the balloon"

You get the idea.

New scene.

We make it into the house, no problem. Devin introduces the newest member of the family to Nana, Daddy and little sister Deirann.....little sister Deirann who loves all things round...and pink...and belonging to big sister Devin.

Can you see where this is going?

Now I do proudly share the fact Devin is by far the most generous child...perhaps human I have known. She will happily share everything and anything with everyone and anyone...even pink balloons.

"Here Deirann you can play with it too." For a few minutes we enjoyed a scene Charles and Caroline woulda died for in Walnut Grove: lots of giggling, running (ok waddling by Deirann) and attempts to catch said pink balloon. The pinacle of childhood memories. But alas the planets can only stay alligned for so long...and 3 minutes was all she wrote.

"Deirann, can I have my balloon back?"
"Nooooooooooooooo." Did I mention Deirann can say two words-"no" and "thank you".
"Deirann, please may I have my balloon?"
"Nooooooooooooooo. Thank you."
My little problem solver took it upon herself to take care of the situation by yanking said balloon outta little sister's hands.

"WWWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" cries young Deirann.
"I didn't do nothing, it is my balloon and I wanted it back, she did it...." Devin-future defense attorney.

It took a few minutes but we eventually settled Deirann down and redirected her to another toy while all the time reminding Devin to stay clear of the fireplace while playing with her new pink friend.

"Devin, watch out for the fireplace."
"Look out for the fireplace Devin!"
Devin! Move away from the fireplace!"

"WWWWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" cried young Devin when said balloon is finally yanked out of her hands by her Daddy.

"Daddy-sob-took-sob-my-sob-balloon-sob!!!"

This end of the world sobbing continued for the next 12 minutes. All the way up the stairs, into the bedroom, while the pajamas were put on, as the teeth were being brushed and as Devin was finally put into bed.

"You-sob-and-sob-Daddy-sob-aren't-sob-my-sob-friends-sob."

When I finally made it downstairs, 55 minutes after arriving home from Irish dance class, 1 hour and 10 minutes after that kind teacher gave Devin the newest member of our family, I flopped on the couch-exhausted. Somehow I had lost my first-born's love over a pink balloon. And somewhere not too far away, an Irish dance teacher was probably enjoying a cuddle from her daughter....while I sat alone. Feeling sorry for myself, I got up to pour a much-deserved glass of wine only to stumble and step on ......wait for it..........


......one pink balloon.



That popped.

I REALLY shouldn't have eaten those two Timbits.

So to all those kind folks out there who love to give the noisy, messy and big pressies to the little people in their lives- please, please, please ask the little people's parents first.
And to all the parents of the little people in my life who I have given the noisy, messy and big pressies to in the past- please, please,please accept my appologies....and don't laugh too hard next time you see me....at Tim Horton's.