Pop goes the balloon

We went to a family oriented fund raiser event last night.  We dressed Aaron in this outfit I bought at Costco last year.  It is 4T so I've been waiting for him to grow into it (and for the weather to cool off, which it finally has).  He was so handsome.

At the event there was a balloon man making balloon animals for kids.  When he came up to us and offered to make Aaron a balloon, I thought he'd ask Aaron what he wanted.  Instead, he took out a grey balloon and made him a sword.  I'm not a big fan of giving a 3 year old make-believe weapons.  We don't even have squirt guns at our house.  But the guy was trying to be nice and I let it go.  Although Aaron has seen other kids, especially his twin cousins, playing around with swords or light sabers, he proceeded to hold his balloon sword by the blade.

A minute later, he dropped it on the floor.  When he went to pick it up, it popped.  He burst into tears.  I felt awful for him.  I remember being afraid of balloons popping when I was a kid.  And this one popped right as he was reaching for it, so it was especially traumatic.  Thom was carrying Audrey, so I picked him up and we went over to where there was a quartet playing.  He sat on my lap and I was swaying with him to the music.  He was mostly quiet, but would periodically tell me things like "I don't like skinny balloons.  I only like fat balloons."  So I could tell he was still getting over the shock.  It was his first experience with the skinny, bendable balloons and I suspect he will not be a fan any time soon.