The Rockstar, The Queen, And The 4ft Inflatable Swan

The best things in life are the cardboard boxes. Y’know, that old adage about how the best toys for kids are cardboard boxes…. and their imaginations. (Some cheek, me saying that – Rockstar is a huge technology nerd and Her Highness will flood you with requests to join interest classes (art, sports, music – just not phonics or <snort> math) because she wants to meet new kids (usually “naughty” older boys who need a telling off. Seriously). Well anyway.)

Here’s one.

The kids are eating crackers and cheese (in Rockstar’s case make that extra stinky blue) in an inflatable swan on the bed. Queen E umm, saw the swan one evening when I was scouring “cardboard box” sales for ideas to entertain the kids and wanted it. One thing led to another and well lemme just say after this the characters “4-f-t” shalt always leap out of the page at me. (For real, though – WHO makes 4ft pool swans?! I thought this was one of those inflatable swim rings for one child, it was HKD 100-something…)

They decided to also try eating supper by camp-light

At 11.40pm (hope this wasn’t on a school night) Rockstar decides to have a parade. So dis issa 4ft inflatable swan being forced through the door.

<squishing rubber sounds>

(And yes we have the Redundant Slide too – as in, they could slide out of bed, but sometimes just jump over the side too – I…fairly recently eyed a friend’s twin mid-bunk beds and couldn’t get the image of my kids hurling themselves from one to the other on occasion)

You might think this is nuts but then you might agree having little kids is nuts. Little kids push you to find all kinds of ways to use your erroneously purchased inflatable swan (and stripped bedroom because workmen had to come look at the faulty air-conditioning unit) and think Now, How Can I Keep Stuff From Breaking The Kids From Breaking Myself Sane These Two Busy For Awhile More?

I have visited friends on playdates where there are: 1) huge (I mean huge – like, a whole squatter extended family can live there) tent facilities crowding out the tv and filling the entire living room. Bonus: No tv! 2) bed frames turned into ball pools 3) sheets over the dining tables and chairs… and I once received 4) a video clip of Rockstar’s friends and  siblings learning to heelie (the shoes with the wheels in the heels) inna cleared out living room, clutching at giant wheeled luggage as they rolled – then whizzed- along.

Necessity is the mother of invention when you and your laptop need to be alone.

Swan ate-a Rockstar or two (and yes we have a crazy-loud disco dance mat too; brought it to playdate, and for some reason the kids were not invited to bring the thing back haha)

I smell a Halloween Costume in the making.

(But Icelandic pop star beat us to it by like, a decade) – pic from zimbio.com