puppet, meet clown. clown, meet puppet.

Today's blog post has been brought to you by QG.

Blessed QG, who turned up unexpectedly, having returned from her holiday vacation exactly when she said she would. Somehow, I'd assumed she'd be back at the end of the week, but hey! I never turn down an extra pair of hands in the house.

In her honor, I give you the following two QG-related post-lets
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During winter break, the Eldest, the Toddles and I did our moderate best to keep out of trouble. Near the end of it, we tried puppets.

At $10/ticket, the cost was on the high end for us, but it was a food and drink-free establishment, and winter break was looong this year. Or just felt that way. Even so, we walked in with some trepidation: a few weeks previous, the Toddles and QG had gone to a show meant for preschoolers, and the Toddles had been frightened by a large school group and fled.

We went to the feater, he told me emphatically, an I was scared an I cried. Oh, dear.

Luckily, there's a play theatre-front in the lobby, and a generous box of puppets, QG told me, so the exile from the room of loud kids wasn't too bad. I figured it was worth a shot, paid up (tip: order your tickets in advance! they do sell out), and off we went.

We're going to the feater, the feater, the feater, sang the children en route. And, we're here in the feater, the feater, the feater, sang the children as they settled into their seats. Paul Vincent Davis, nice elderly man with a positively hilarious goatee came out and explained about puppets and clowns and clowns that look like puppets. That's a puppet! said the Toddles, entranced. Shhhh, said his big brother.

The lights went down, and the puppeteer went to work. The Toddles considered briefly and then very clearly said, I want to go out! I want to leave dis place! And so we did, with a nice grandmother offering to keep an eye on the Eldest.

With a curtain between us and the scary dark room with the stage, the Toddles relaxed. We played puppet theatre, and he made his puppets dance. Eventually, armed with a puppy-puppet, he agreed to go back in briefly, To check on my brovver, he informed me. Once in, he was distracted - fear - fascination - fear - silly puppet on a horse - fear - oh, different puppet, and now that one's sweeping up? and this one is...

One round of applause later, the boys went dancing out into the streets with clown noses, courtesy of Brookline's Puppet Showplace Theatre and Mr. Davis.

The grins alone might just have been worth the price of admission.

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The Toddles, bereft of QG (who is after all, far more inclined to play with him than his ever busy mama), spent some time explaining her to me. In this case, I offer a transcript taken down at 2.45 a.m.

(irritating little monster. Doesn't he know that most people like to sleep at this hour?)

waking up: NOOOO NOOOOO NOOOO NOOOO DIAPER. WANT THIS DIAPER. NOOO NOOO NOO NOOOO

considering possibilities: (politely) You give me milk, please?

later, when handed a tissue: the rubbing [of my nose] makes me sick. And then there's a gesudeit [gesundheit/bless you].

pause. I fall down on the stairs. I fall down because I am sad. It was not a good moment. You and Daddy picked me up and I was sad. Fall down on the stairs first me, then you. I go first and you go last. Two guys falled down and then free [three] guys falled down.

pause. Me and QG go to a place where there are big guys. And the big guys are grinding coffee and making coffee and having zids [lids?] on their coffee. Me and QG had to coffee dere. The coffee store is (considers) grab a zid [lid] for the coffee, because that's always really fing.

Note to reader: I think 'fing,' or 'thing' has an insert-word-here function.

...fing fell down and QG tell me it's not safe. QG's coffee was QG's, but coffee is bad - coffee is for QG and for big guys. Milks was good for me. QG has one or two coffees (considers) because QG has not two, just one bcause QG choose the one.

QG and me walk, me and QG saw the coffee shop where are big kids. [this last seems to have been the summary of the outing.]

Translation? The Toddles doesn't like having his diaper changed in the middle of the night, and he understands causality - but he's thinking it over. Note the spots where he directly reverses causality. And clearly, in the middle of the night there's two experiences on his mind. First, the time when he and I fell down the stairs. This was a very alarming experience for us all, and much discussed for the implications and outcome (although the Man wasn't present, so ya got me there). The next thing on his mind, however, was visiting a coffee shop known and frequented by QG. She and I had discussed the outing, and not only did her friends enjoy meeting the Toddles, he was much taken by meeting the 'big guys,' and the experience of having drinks there.

What was the 'fing' that fell down? I assume something allergenic for the kidlet, and goodness only knows why the lids were so exciting...

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You read this far? Well, o intrepid one, here's a tidbit for your valor: we're trialling the Toddles on soy. Yesterday, he had 6 ounces of soymilk. Today, he had 4 ounces of tofu. He is arguably just fine, but we await the morrow. Imagine: an Imperfect world with soy in it. I can practically hear the budgetary wizard collapsing with relief.