Let there be giggles!

Yesterday was an adventure. After picking the kids up from preschool I was moving non stop until I crashed into a deep sleep along with the kids a little bit too early. Anyway, Sherman's preschool teacher told me that Shermy was sad because he didn't have ballet shoes like the rest of his classmates. Ballet shoes? I had no idea that they even needed ballet shoes for their preschool ballet class. This feeling is normal. Things constantly pop into my world that I never even knew existed until they are translated to me. Ballet shoes is one of those things. So after getting directions to where they are supposed to sell them I went home. Later that same afternoon after Jonathan finished at his first job I harnessed his man power and hooked him up to the boys as he walked into the city center where his second job was (and the ballet shoes). We moved like the wind but when Jonathan left us in a safe spot so he could get to work on time, things went slow again. Just me and the three struggling through the crowds on the busy streets of Kadikoy. I must have asked five people where the store was that sold ballet shoes for little boys (and I had to dance around so they would know what I was talking about). I think my motivation stemmed partly from my curiosity to see what these strange items would look like. Would they be frilly or masculine? Did I say masculine? Can ballet and masculine ever be in the same sentence? I could just imagine Sherman in his little tights with ballet slippers on frolicking around with his classmates. I had to find him some slippers. Finally I gave up and was walking towards a street that had ribbons, sequins, and fabric on it and passed a small shoe shop. There were children's shoes on their shelves so I asked. Knock and it shall be opened, ask and ye shall receive! They had boy's ballet slippers. They looked just like the ballet slippers I used to wear when I was a little girl minus the elastic strip across the top of the foot. They were black with the soft leather on the bottom with elastic around the edges. The man had Shermy sit down and try them on. When Atticus saw the beautiful shape of his foot in the little black slipper, he decided he wanted some too. So he tried some on. My mind's image of Atticus in tights and ballet slippers has more of a violent feel to it. I can imagine him doing grande jete's right into his classmates chests. Two pairs of ballet slippers for boys for 12 lira. Susan, if you need ballet slippers do not buy them anywhere else. I will pick some up for you if you need some for your girls.

To top our evening off, we trudged home exhausted. I still had to make up a dinner with random ingredients in our fridge. While musing about how nice it would be to go to IHOP instead of eating my future concoction we happened upon a box in our path. It was about three feet long and four inches X four inches. It had burst open and strings of white and brown beads of curious workmanship were hanging out of one of the ends. Atticus is a curious boy and he's not afraid of trash. He must get it from me. Good thing Jonathan wasn't around cuz if he was we wouldn't be stopping even to look. After an assessment of a few things:

a. how far are we from the apartment?

b. is it worth it?

c. is it too disgusting?

I gave the boys the O.K. Atticus and Shermy were happy to oblige. More like eager and excited! They looked like little pack mules carrying this awkward box down the dark street after me. Upon entering our apartment door the kids jumped on the find like stray cats to flung fish guts. Atticus ripped up the box throwing pieces of cardboard everywhere while Shermy tried to help. Once the box was open and all the strings of beads were free, Cinci plopped himself on top of them and started swimming in them. The beads were new, unused, and it is a mystery to me why they were sitting on the sidewalk. I hope no one was coming back for them, because I can tell them right now "They're gone! Not there anymore!"

That was last night. Tonight I ventured to hang them somewhere in the house. Somewhere where I could supervise them with more frequency.. I decided that the kitchen doorway would have to do. I spend most of my time there anyway.

Judge me if you want to. I don't care. Let there be collisions! Let there be chaos! I just can't resist those giggles!