Up, Up, and Away!

I know we have to teach children about letting go at some point or another, but after our traumatic trip to the grocery store yesterday, I don't ever want to let go!!!

There they floated, in all their glory, high over our heads with dangley colorful strings to entice tiny eager fingers. The grocery store balloons. Katie was being wonderful during our somewhat spontaneous evening grocery run. I packed the racing cart higher than I planned, but Katie sat peacefully waiting for me to finish walking up and down the aisles waving and honking her fake horn at passersby. She sat patiently as the cashier checked us out. I thought we could make it to the car without any issues for the first time in her two and a half short years. Just as I began to push the cart toward the exit, a sweet, but oblivious manager walked over to Katie and said, "Would you like a balloon?" Well, of course she wants a balloon! "What color would you like?"

"PINK!" Katie grabbed the PINK balloon, and even said "Thank you" without being provoked, leaving the manager feeling warm and fuzzy inside, I'm sure.

As we headed outside, I held onto the end of the string, without Katie's knowledge since she has to do everything herself, to save it from disaster. The whole while, I kept telling Katie that she had to hold on tight or else the balloon was going to fly away and she'd never see it again. I held onto the string as long as I could, but she wanted to do it herself while I unloaded the groceries into the back of the car. So, I let go.

I finished putting the last bag into the back of the car when I heard Katie shriek, "Mommy, catch it! Mommy, catch it! Catch it! Reach!" Katie was trying to climb out of the cart to reach high in the sky to catch the balloon which was already way out of reach. With all the compassion in the world, I said something like, "Katie Bear, it's gone. I'm sorry, honey, we can't reach it anymore. Look up there, see how far away it is already? It's too far away. We'll have to get another balloon the next time we come to the grocery store, but you'll have to make sure to hold on so so so tight so it doesn't fly away." Her eyes welled up so fast and she began crying the most pitiful cry I've seen to date! She looked up in the sky and said, "Bye-bye, balloon." Oh, my poor munchkin, if only mommy didn't let go...

Damn you helium!