Balloon menagerie

HELP! My house has been invaded by balloon animals! Last weekend, Mei-Li took Amma, Bampa, and me to her Chinese Dance year-end party. (Post to come.) One of the things she most enjoyed was the chance to get a balloon animal. She looooooooves balloon animals.

On the drive home, she asked me if she could learn how to make them and told me she would give me All the money she had in her piggy bank Right Now if I would please buy her the equipment. Seeing no harm, I said yes. (Actually, I said I'd think about it if she didn't bug me for the rest of the drive.)

The next day, we searched around town and finally found a pump and a bag of balloons. Then ML asked to borrow my computer.

She Googled.

She YouTubed.

She Concentrated.

Then balloon animals began to take shape:

First came the swan.

YAY, SWANS ARE FUN!

Then the dog.

Black Swan!

On the second afternoon, she tried some other things:

Rabbit.

Cat.

Swords!

Brief intermission for sword fights!  ATTAAAAAAACK!  

Ladybug bracelet.

Second intermission for dinner.

I am amazed (although I really shouldn't be by now) how quickly she learned how to do this. A friend of mine requested a giraffe via FaceBook yesterday, and less than 10 minutes later, she posed with the giraffe. Hunh.

So why did Timo want one if I can't give it to him?

Mama wanted a flower.

Flowers are tricky, but I JUST GOT IT!

We're running out of room, so I'm thinking of hiring her out for kids' parties. She's quick and she takes requests.  And you could probably pay her in cake.

Here are some of the creations.

I just look forward to the day when she doesn't need a 'lovely assistant' to do the pumping and tying.  All of the grunt work, none of the glory...