Toddler Firing Squad

Every time we go to MOPS, the girls are given a balloon to take home before they leave. Sounds sweet and innocent right? I've come to dread the balloons - first I have to get two toddlers, a baby, and two balloons safely out to the parking lot and in the car all by myself. Anyone who has buckled a toddler in who is holding a balloon knows how much fun just that part is....and that is not even mentioning balloons that stray in the parking lot - toddler screaming - mom trying not to separate the group so no one gets hit by a car but also trying to retrieve the balloon so the screaming will stop...I digress.

So when we get home with the balloons, the girls obsess about where their balloons are, who has touched them, try to go potty holding their balloons, try to get dressed holding their balloons, don't want their baby sister to slobber on the balloons, and so on. After about two days - I've had enough of the balloons and try to mentally will them to pop while the girls are playing with them so I can say, "Oh, bummer the balloon is all gone" as sympathetically as I can. They weren't popping...

Naptime came - there were no witnesses - I decided to quietly puncture the balloons and slowly let the air out and then feign ignorance when asked where the balloons went. All went as planned and hid the evidence in the trash can in my bathroom. The girls woke up from their naps and did not appear to notice the absence of the balloons.

Later that afternoon, the girls came walking out of my room with steely gazes.
Conversation as follows:

Mina: Who popped my balloon?!
Me: Oh, I don't know...
Mina: NO - who popped it?!
Me: I guess it just popped and now it is all gone....
Mina: Mommy, did you pop my balloon?
Me: (Pause...contemplate bold face lie...hang head in shame) Yes....I popped it...
Mina: Why....? (while making sad face)
Me: (How to I explain....) Because the balloon was all done.... (lame lame lame - but it seemed to work)

At this point the toddler firing squad seem satisfied and moved on to other explorations. I learned a valuable lesson...when popping balloons throw them away in the garbage in the garage! : )