Don't Wake up the Baby (Or the Baby Will Get You)

our Mao, originally uploaded by your neighborhood librarian.

We had our first day of Circus Arts Club at the elementary school today. Despite a few snafus (the two other parents who were going to do it with me, separately and for different reasons, er, bailed) and a truly staggering number of children signed up (27), our first meeting went well. Especially considering it's meant to be an outside club, with hula hooping, juggling, and unicycle lessons, and today, because of the cold, we had to hold it in the science room (thanks Ms. Jagusch, sorry you had to do report cards with 27 chattering would-be clowns in the room).

Yeah. I'm a little punch-drunk.

We talked about circuses and expectations (sorry, no lion taming, no wheel of death) (popcorn maybe), I handed around some equipment to fondle, and I failed to really badly hurt myself on the unicycle.

Slap-happy. Maybe ready for a drink.

Before we broke up until next week, we all selected clown names. I had some suggestions at the ready for kids who were stuck: Guapo the Clown, Oboe, The Bonus Brothers, Freckles, Beep... but I needn't have bothered.

HERE ARE WHAT THESE LITTLE WACK JOBS CAME UP WITH:

Robin the Ridiculous. Ok fine.
Loony the Clown. Sure.
Jit. This was a kindergartner, but wasn't Marcel Marceau's clown name something similar? Bip?
Skeleton the Clown
Lumpa Lumpa
Guy the Clown
Hobsloe the Horrendous. Wow!
Death of Pain. THE CLOWN.
Five Dollar Foot Long (these last two are twins, and I'm totally loving their clown names)

Of course, we also had a Checkers, two Lulus, a McNougat, and a Buttercup, but even those, I am sure... let's just say I'm not getting into a tiny car with any of these little bananagrams!

Not until they're trained, at least.