Balloons, Potatoes and Ceiling Fans Do Not Mix

So I tied the remnants of Drew's 2nd birthday party (2 Buzz Lightyear mylar balloons) to the handle of the basket holding all the dog toys. Drew had puzzles, pegs, and all sorts of entertainment so I thought he was safe to leave alone so I could go pee. I walk back into the living room (literally 6 feet) and he's figured out how to untie the balloons and they are headed straight for the ceiling fan. BAM... the string rips one off and shoots it across the living room ceiling...the other (the one that had the 100 foot of blue ribbon attached to it) proceeds to spin with the blades wrapping ever so tightly around the motor. Nice huh? I freak and run pressing every button on the light switch not remembering which one controls the fan. I climb onto the coffee table -- not the smartest thing to do with your 2 year old watching I'm sure.... but I try in all desperation to STOP the blades with my hand.. realizing that I can't get it unwound b/c I'm too short, I run to the kitchen with the little man on my coattails watching my every move. He's studying how to handle stressful situations no doubt -- I grab a pair of tongs from the metal utensil drawer (the good kind from Williams-Sonoma work well for this) and a pair of scissors... after cutting the balloon itself free, I work on unwinding the blue ribbon. I grab the tongs and hold the ribbon out so I can cut it... then unwind it a time or two with my fingers... that's when I realize my little shadow is in the metal utensil drawer in the kitchen as well. I'm sure he's about to break out the pots and pans and "cook" up some grub... but alas... he comes into the living room weilding a sparkly silver potato masher in the air. He's there to fix it all and make it better... one potato at a time. I laughed so hard I cried. He was so proud of himself...every time I held the tongs up... that potato masher was waving down below. Together, he and I, got the blue ribbon unwound, the balloons to safety and the fan running again. All in a day's work.