We love balloons

Maisie and I went grocery shopping at Trader Joe's today. At checkout, the cashier was making friends with Maisie, and asked me if she would like a balloon - they are tied to the cash registers, and Maisie was pointing at them and saying "Dat! DAT!!"

We were like, are beans green?? Maisie would LOVE a balloon!!

The cashier tied it to Maisie's wrist, and there it stayed all day. We took it off at one point and tied it to a toy, because it was getting a little tight and because Maisie needed a bath. But the kitties chewed through the string, so now it's floating free in the house.

(We didn't see it happen, but we suspect Cool Hand Luke was the culprit... he seemed awfully interested in the balloon.)

Anyway, I know this isn't the greatest picture but I hope it gives you some sense of just how much joy Maisie got out of this balloon. It was really sweet - and honestly, it's one of the reasons we're Trader Joe's shoppers.

A simple balloon may not seem like a big deal, but to me, it's the difference between a happy smiley toddler and one who's screaming and angry. And to me, that is worth driving out to St. Louis Park!