We had an unexpected change-o-family-plans earlier this week (vague enough for you? you’re ever-so-welcome), and as a result of that situation there’s been an extra young’un at our house for the last few days. We have loved – LOVED – having him here, and even though I’m pretty sure his parents won’t go for it, we’re thinking of keeping him forever.
Or maybe they could just loan him to us periodically. That would be delightful.
So we’ve been doing all sorts of wild and wonderful summertime activities so that our visiting little man won’t think so much about the fact that MY PEOPLE, THEY ARE NOT HERE WITH ME, and he has been an absolute trooper. We’ve hung out at the park and at the most refreshingly air-conditioned McDonald’s PlayPlace in North America; we’ve been to the pool and to the movies; we’ve taken every cushion off of every piece of furniture and made the world’s largest pillow pile in the middle of our living room.
There’s been some exceptional jumping on that pillow pile. You have no idea.
And if I can’t figure out what to do next I think I’ll just round up some tambourines and drums and let the preschoolers in the house start themselves a band.
It’ll be my one and only shot at singing lead vocals.
And don’t you love how I threw out that musical activity option as if I have an extensive on-hand supply of musical instruments?
Like I’ll just go pull some tambourines and drums out of the storage closet where I keep all our maracas, trumpets and guitars?
Finally, this morning we were at the movies and I had to take Alex to the restroom, and since I’m out of practice at the whole hauling-a-toddler-on-my-hip deal, I lost my balance when we rounded the last corner on our way back to our seats.
And when I stumbled I inadvertently stepped on a fellow theatre patron’s toe, and apparently the pain was quite severe on her end, because she yelled “OW!” and dropped her popcorn and then yelled “OW!” one more time.
I whisper-apologized profusely while trying to find our row as unobtrusively as possible (there was, after all, a movie playing), and the nice injured lady said that she was FINE, REALLY, SHE WAS JUST FINE as she held on to her foot for dear life and rocked back and forth in her chair.
So I spent the next ten minutes glancing over at the woman and wondering if EMTs have ever been summoned to a movie theatre for some sort of toe-related injury, because judging from how long she clung to that foot, I don’t think my flip-flops with the three-inch wedge heels did her any favors.
When the movie was over I tried to find her so that I could apologize again (I am an over-apologizer. It’s a trait that fits nicely with my over-worrying.), but by the time we returned to the scene of the toe-stepping crime, all that was left was her pile of popcorn on the theatre floor.
I sort of halfway expected to see a taped outline of her sandal.
But then again, I tend to err on the side of irrational.
Just consider it part of my charm.
I’m an over-apologizer, too. I didn’t know there was a term for it. There’s a reason I read your blawg.
Line some kitchen chairs up and throw a couple of blankets over the backs. Instant tent/fort/clubhouse/cave. The preschool/toddler crowd at my house goes crazy for that sort of thing. And if you call it an “Adventure” boy are you really amazing! = )
I find that better than the whole banging music thing. Not so much noise for my aching head.
I’m such an over-apologizer, I apologize for stuff that’s not even remotely my fault. I tell folks that I can still be sorry that something happened, even if I didn’t cause it!
Oh, you make me laugh like no other.
And that’s such a compliment because I hardly smile. Ever.
The injured lady was probably just a little self-absorbed and didn’t have a lot on her to do list. Getting hurt, well, that is unplanned, but fun, sometimes. She probably also scrubs her giant outdoor trash can and bleaches her patio stepping stones weekly. Oh, and also reports her neighbors to the Association when they forget to bring in their rank trash can.
Holy moly. I just described a family member.
I’ll just be skipping along now.
too funny!
it was uber-windy here last week, and when husby went to pre-buy our SATC tickets ones afternoon, the wind caught his truck door and it made a teeny blue-colored streak on the neighboring car’s door. their window happened to be cracked, so eagle scout home boy tucked a note explaining the situation, along with a $20 bill and our phone number in case it wouldn’t buff out, onto their seat. crazy!
I’m an over-apologizer too. But honestly, that lady sounds like an over-complainer. An over-dramatic princess with sissy little girl toes. So don’t feel bad.–She probably had it coming. And she probably doesn’t let her kids play musical instruments!
I’m a fairly new reader and I love your blogs–thanks!
Amy
P.S. No, I’ve actually been READING for several years now. I’m just a new reader OF YOUR BLOG. Whatever Amy, stop talking. I’m sorry. See?
Pots and pans work just as well as drums and tambourines. Or, just give them wooden spoons and spatulas and let them pretend to cook. They’ll still make drums out of the situation, but maybe less so.
You can also give them pots and pans with a bit of water on the back porch. Magic. Outside. No mess. And you can watch from the inside with the A/C.
I’m an over-apologizer and have made my 4 year old the same way. He apologizes for things that aren’t even his fault!
My boys love to put blankets over a card table and sit inside and watch a movie with their pillows and animals and drink a Sprite.
We turn out the lights and call it a “Movie Party”.
I am so cheap.
Lordy– call me! We have a tambourine, 3 guitars, drums, keyboard, bells, and I’ll even print out the lyrics to “Sweet Child O Mine” so you can sing into your hairbrush. (We don’t have a mike)
I would have been hitting the videotapes and DVDs pretty hard, oh, about three days ago. Bless yer heart.
You are a trooper!
Yes ma’am, I nearly impaled ~K~’s foot Sunday stepping out into the aisle with my 3″ heels to change a diaper. Then I almost got Chris’s foot with my other shoe when I realized my shoes were a safety hazard. You should have a permit for those things in public, you know.
LOL
Gosh, it makes you wonder if she had just had foot surgery or something?! I’m not thinking flip-flops are normally so damaging!
“taped outline of her sandal” – LOL!!
That is hilarious!
I tell you balancing with a kid on the hip is a talent.
Enjoy your time with the second kid :)
It is fun and loud to have 2
Blessings
Kim
I have a tambourine you can borrow. And a maraca. And even some weird wood thingy with a stick that you bang. And a recorder. But I’m not mean enough to lend you the recorder!
I’m sorry that happened…you see there? I’m an over-apologizer, too. Now I’m worrying if I apologized too much or not enough :)
Love you! This made me laugh so very hard. I needed it. Thankyou!!
holly
PS I am also a gusher in the thankyou dept.
An outline of the sandal…Oh that’s funny!
Get a bag of beans and some strong paper plates. Staple two plates together nearly all the way around. Dump in a scoop of beans, staple the rest of the way. TaDa! Instant tambourine.
Empty a can of fruit or veggies. Give the kid a popscicle stick. Tada! Instant drum (or use a tupperware container).
Get an old fashioned film canister, the kind we used before we had digital cameras. Toss in a couple jingle bells, beans or pennies. Tape it shut. Tada! Instant maraca.
Now. Take your musical instrument band outside. March up and down the block banging away to beat the band. Apologize profusely to your neighbors. Tada! Instant annoying neighbor. :)
Oh that is hilarious. I feel like I was there with you – I feel your pain. I did the same thing one time while boarding a shuttle bus to the airport. I was carrying a heavy suitcase that I could barely manage when the corner knocked into a lady’s knee. She gave out the biggest “OW” I’ve ever heard. I apologized left and right but she kept glaring at me. When I got off my husband and I just started cracking up. We still talk about her. I am a bit clumsy, I admit, but my word was yelling that loud necessary?
Pitch a tent in the living room. Kids love that. Especially when they do it on their own (with big brother’s help) and don’t ask first :-)
You know what would be GREAT???? If she was a regular reader of the blawg, and discovered by reading this very entry that the gal who trod upon her was none other than THE Boomama.
Now THAT would be hilarious.
Weren’t you a little tempted to tell her to suck it up a little? I’m just saying.
I’m sorry for that lady, but that was definitely worth a laugh! Thanks for sharing:o)
Hubs is a park naturalist. He teaches lots of people, particularly children, about nature. He talks with his hands. Occasionally, he also wallops kids and adults in the noggin with his swinging hands. Poor guy. He’s going to knock someone out some day!
You outdid yourself on this post, Boo. Land sakes alive, I’m chortling like a wart hog here. Hubby just gave me the “what could possibly be so funny?” eyebrow-raise from his desk down the wall.
“One word,” I told him. “BooMama.” (or are you two words??)
YOU ARE SO DARN FUNNY!
So that was YOU at the movie theater last week.
I’m also offering musical instruments. Between my music school days and Grandma, we have enough instruments for a large band.
Too funny! My hubby is an over-apologizer, too. Drives me a bit batty, but I’m happy to be married to such a thoughtful guy.
This will not surprise you, but I , too am an over apologizer. And I,too create absurd scenarios in my head.
I’m sure she’s fine – so don’t overworry any more!
oh dude. the tape of her sandal. buz is shaking his head at all my annoying late night laughing.
Ok, please divulge. Where is a refreshingly air-conditioned McD’s playland in this town? Any one I’ve ever seen is not refreshing and not air-conditioned. And usually full of mean kids.
You can’t keep important info like this to yourself, Boo. It’s a secret that must be shared.
Oh, I guarantee “toe woman” is fine. Sounds like a bunch of drama to me. I mean, seriously, toe woman, suck it up. Everyone gets stepped on in a movie theater. Get over it.
:)
I have sooo lived that moment. I’m sure her toe is fine, plus now she has a great story to tell about the crazy lady with the kids who almost amputated her foot. You know she’ll never just say it was her toe!!!!
CSI will be at your door soon, to take an imprint of your wedge flip-flop so they can match it to the victims. Do you know a good lawyer?
That is HORRIBLE! What AWFUL circumstances! I can’t think of anything WORSE….
than all that buttered popcorn just wasted on the floor….
Give them some water hoses and pails outside and you’re guaranteed some fun! Better yet, throw in some soap and a couple of those huge sponges and you’ve got yourself a homemade car wash! lol
Don’t you hate it when people over react to a little toe steppin? Like has anyone ever died from that? LOL
Oh yeah, the water play! Grab some paintbrushes and let them “paint” the house, sidewalk, driveway or whatever! Good times.
You can make something so funny! We’ve all had this happen to us, I’m sure, and yet your telling of it is hilarious!
Thanks for the laugh this early morning!
Thanks for making me laugh on an otherwise completely terrible (with a capital T) day!
The movie incident cracked me up, like ROFL cracked up. Sorry, it just hit me funny!
Thanks for making me LOL – “taped outline of her sandal”. But you know, I would have liked to go back and grind that puppy into the carpet after she reacted that way. Like she didn’t know it was an accident.
I am TOTALLY an over-apologizer, too! That is hilarious and I am so glad I now have a name for my “syndrome!!”
Only you can make something so mundane so freakin’ hilarious! Thanks for making me laugh… what a good way to end the day…!
when we lived in Mauritania, our living room furniture consisted of 6 “matlas” which were the size of two sofa cushions and made of foam. Sometimes I’d let the kids piles them up and leap off them, onto the tile floor. Only needed stitches once ;) I always thought it looked like fun.
I wondered what happened to that woman. Now I know. :)