Mommy Gossip

So... I took the boys to the local children's museum last week and we took a class called "Festival of Bubbles." You could totally repeat this at home. And, your neighborhood moms or friends would love it if you invited their kids to join in.

1. The instructor started off by asking the kids if they knew what a burp was? You can only imagine the laughter that ensued from that question.

2. She then explained that a burp is an air bubble in your tummy. At that point, she had all the kids rub their tummies and make a burping noise. If you thought the laughter was loud before, you should have heard that gleeful eruption.

3. Next, she asked the kids to share other examples of things that had air bubbles. They thought of the obvious: bubbles you blow. As they shared this example, she started mixing in a large container the contents of what would soon become bubbles. You could just buy bubbles, but the kids were very interested in how you make them.

4. I loved this next part, because it was so hands on. She brought out several packages and asked the kids if they would like to see other examples. They were on pins and needles, waiting to see what she had inside the packages. She brought out bubble wrap, turned on upbeat music, and had each child come up and dance/stomp on it. Then, she opened packages of Pop Rocks, explained about carbonation and gave each kid some in their hand. She made them be very quiet as they put them in their mouths so they could hear the popping. She also had carbonated drinks she let them taste. Finally, she had them all go over to a big table where she had large, flat containers and she poured the bubble concoction into. She passed out bubble blowers--huge ones in all different shapes. She asked the kids to identify the shapes, turned back on the music, and let the kids blow bubbles in all the shapes for about 7 minutes.

When T-Daddy saw Chatterbox that evening, he said, "What'd you do today?" Chatterbox academically responded, "I learned that a burp is an air bubble!" I guess he just proved the saying: Tell me and I forget. Show me and I learn. Let me do it and I remember.

This summer, we went to an art exhibit at the local university. As we were leaving, my kids veered away from us, tempted by the beckoning elevator down the hall. I thought Leo the Ninja Turtle himself had appeared on the scene the way those two were screaming and jumping in excitement, their mouths watering in anticipation. I was in no mood to ride on a slow elevator, so I parked it on a nearby bench while daddy did some male bonding with the boys.

"I want to push the button," anxious 4-year-old yells out upon entering the silver box car.

"OK," daddy replies, "just push the top floor."

"What number goes to the top floor, dad?" son asks, searching the number next to each button.

"It's the highest number, son," dad explains.

"Dad?" questions the son, scratching his head with eyes squinted in an all-out search. "Where is it? I don't see google plex on here!"