Squishy Face and Disney Place

Not every baby likes bubbles
Originally uploaded by epmdesigner

Thanks to the over the top sales technique of a Disney store clerk, as of Friday I am now the proud owner of a Fairytopia bubble machine. Note to stores where chidren's products are sold: when you see me trying to calm my out of control tantruming child with $1.99 Little Mermaid flip-flops as I desperately try to check out DO NOT ASK ME "Have you seen our new --insert totally useless product here-- on sale for only $5.99 today?"

The answer (in this case and almost every other)...is NO, I had not seen or heard about the "baby crack"...I mean, bubble machine, you are peddling overly perky college girl! I'm sorry but all I heard were the gut-wrenching screams of my two year old relentlessly begging me for a $3.99 ball that I KNOW with complete certainty my cat or 9 month old will get hold of and eat. BUT somehow, when you did your little sales pitch, MY CHILD HEARD YOU!!! But then you knew that would happen didn't you Disney clerk...

Now instead of screaming about the ball, Leah's pitching a fit for the bubble machine. I mean a taking her shoes off, full-on tears, nonsensical fit of true toddler proportions.Touché Betsy, future Disney Store employee of the month, you have bested me with your superior understanding of retail marketing. To show that I am graceful in the face of defeat, I will now throw all my parenting principals to the wind and buy the stupid thing (just as I told my friend Jen I was swearing off all toys until Christmas!). I will buy it because I'm REALLY tired (a 9 mo old and a terrible two will totally do that to you!). I will buy it because I need the crying to stop, and lets face it...it IS only $5.99 and Leah really does LOVE bubbles.

Besides, I had been thinking about getting one....millions of bubbles and none of that pesky blowing...and I needed something I could bribe Leah with so she'd take a nap. To my credit, I did ask Betsy if it came with batteries before I made the purchase. I think she could tell my impulse buy was dependent upon this one factor since she immediately responded "Yes!! I mean I think so! Don't kill me if it doesn't..." Needless to say, she was wrong. After an hour of searching every toy in our house for C batteries I finally told Leah she would have to wait until Daddy got home with some for the bubble extravanganza. Thanks for making me look bad Betsy. I promise the kid she gets bubbles if she takes her nap and then I can't deliver! Oh well...note to self: confirm if batteries are included yourself next time Erin.

And so my happy trip to the Disney store for a much needed $14.99 toddler nightgown ended with me spending $25 and cursing the fact that I even ventured into the Mall with the girls. After the bubble machine, she had a freak out about not being able to go on the carousel. Does it ever end? The things we do for our kids. Our whole trip was for Leah anyway. There is a hand-me-down Disney Tinkerbell nightgown from the Herrera girls that Leah is SOOOOO in love with, I'm afraid she's going to wear the poor thing out! The good news is, she loves that nightgown and her new princess one so much that she even wants to wear them for nap (or should I say "quiet time," that seems to fool Leah a bit), the same nap she was trying to get out of just a week or so ago...

Anyway, here's a picture of the little one with the fruit of our bubble labor. See it was all worth it wasn't it? I have even better ones of Leah. Fully-automated bubble machine means Mommy's hands are free for more camera snapping. The bubbles kept popping on her face arms and legs, hence the little squished up expression. Actually she makes this face all the time with "sniffing" sound effects. Completely adorable. They're all adorable when they're not tantruming right?