The Armadillo Tales

Lunch Date

On days when we go to the gym, sometimes I get the rare gift of having lunch with my armadillo.    On these intermittent days, we all go to the gym and I drop the boys off at the daycare facility.   When I return to pick them up, on occasion the sumo baby is sleeping.  I hate to wake him up so I get the armadillo and we go have lunch in the cafe.   The two of us sit in the art-deco cafe eating our sandwiches or salad or soup with a side of chips, it's the armadillo rule.  He can't eat sandwiches without some chips nearby.   We down our lunch down with milk and I of course have my large diet coke.    

It's times like this that I remember how I miss giving the armadillo my time, exclusively.    With the sumo baby, it's tricky, if not impossible to give one or the other 100% of my time.    I have to admit regrettably that the armadillo most times gets the short end of the stick.    The poor dude.   Therefore these "lunch dates" are most special to me.  I sit there and watch the armadillo.    I don't have to give my attention elsewhere and I love it.    I watch him and the thought that "I love my son" goes through my head over and over and over again.   I forget about the times when I want to pull my hair out because he's done something I told him 100 times before not to.   I forget about those 10 time outs I gave him that morning.  I forget about the desire to yell at him for hitting his brother.   I only remember that I love him.   I love this little boy with my whole heart.    I tell him over and over again the fact that his mama loves him.   Thankfully he's at the age where he doesn't tell me to stop and that it's embarrassing to him.    He just smiles, and if I'm lucky, he'll tell me if he loves me back.   The cherry on top is when I get a wet kiss too.   

I love you my armadillo.     

The Blondes

One of my favorite shows is The Amazing Race on CBS.   They are currently on their 10th edition and I think I've missed half of them, unfortunately.   I don't know why I didn't get on the Race bandwagon sooner.     The show has so much to offer.     The beautiful locations, the obstacles and of course, the drama.   Ooooh I love the drama.   This season of course is no exception.    The team to beat it appears are "the blondes", Dustin and Kandice.   Just when you thought that the other teams had finally beat them, the last leg was a non-elimination one.    Gawd damn.      The blondes are still in it.   

The tough women are the most hated team in the race so far because they have been accused of playing dirty, but hell, it's for a million dollars.   That's a truckload of moola for the one team that finishes first.     They are not my favorite team, the boys Tyler and James are, but I can't blame them for their tactics.   It's a race, not summer camp.   You're not there to foster relationships.   You are there to win a million dollars.   I could never understand that six-pack alliance involving the Cho brother, Kentukcy and 'Bama.   No offense but it's a million dollars.   You got a flat tire?   I feel for you but we have to move on.   Lost?   Bummer dude, we have to move on.   Still can't find that salt shaker?    Oh well, we have to move on.    I think that was the Cho brothers' biggest mistake.  Waiting for 'Bama to finish the detour and then moving on.   Plus their indecisiveness with the whole driving thing was annoying as well.   Make a decision and stick to it.  Yikes.   

So next week it's the race to the final three teams.   My prediction ... the boys, the blondes, and the underdog ... 'Bama.   Sorry Rob & Kimberly ... Rob you whine too much, seriously, you're a dude, come on.

Photo credit: The Amazing Race   

Baby Banshee

Holy smokey, who turned by sweet baby into a baby banshee?    My little hunk of burning love can scream till your ears bleed.   I'm dead serious.   Where did that come from?    It's so annoying and so painful.   He wails and cries in such a high pitch clamor when he's upset about something.    I'm almost hesitant to pick him up and comfort him because that means he gets closer to my ear.   Ouch!   I'm guessing he learned this from his big brother.   Sometimes the armadillo and his buddies will scream at the top of their lungs.   It's as if they're performing in the pint size version of Toddler Idol.      The sumo baby probably is looking for ways to compete with his big brother and decides that he is going to scream louder than the armadillo.

Sumo baby: "YYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" ... I win. 

Le Artiste

The armadillo received this easel for his birthday (which was 6 months ago) from his grandma, but we only recently set it up for him.   Much to our pleasant surprise the armadillo absolutely adores it.    On one side of the easel is a dry erase board, the other is a chalk board, and on top you can attach a roll of paper for crayons, pens, etc ...    We got him a set of dry erase markers to start off with and boy did he get the ball rolling with that one.   My rambunctious little boy couldn't get enough of drawing with the markers.   He enjoys erasing his illustrations almost as much as drawing them himself.   I love the smiles of pride when he begins his representation of his feelings, his life, his thoughts.   

The armadillo worships his easel so obsessively that he throws a tantrum whenever its time to put away his pens.   The tears start streaming down and the cries of discontent.   I hope the armadillo and his love of drawing will continue throughout his young years.   I am looking foward to his first portrait that I can hang on my walls.

Smock courtesy of the armadillo's talented Aunty Heidi.

Eat Your Vegetables

Today was "Get poked in the leg day" for both the armadillo and sumo baby.  The armadillo had his 2 1/2 year appointment.    My boys both got their flu shots .. ouch.  Poor guy, always hated going to the doctor and today was no exception.   He started crying as soon as I asked him to take off his clothes so that they could get his height and weight.    My armadillo is such a skinny string bean.   He's more long than wide, which is better than being the other way around.     The armadillo was able to graduate to the big boy scale.   There was no longer the need for him to use the baby scale, but come to think of it, he's too long to even fit on the scale.    I'm trying to think of what they used to weigh him at his last appointment but I can't remember.     I'm constantly amazed that ever since becoming a mama my memory can barely stretch back a week.    Sometimes I even develop the uncanny ability to recall all things imaginary.   

But getting back to the doctor's appointment.   She told me that the armadillo needs to eat more vegetables.  Yikes.    I was wondering where that came from.   The doctor asked me what he ate, what vegetables, meat, fruit, etc ...    I wonder if it's because I didn't ramble off a grocery list of vegetables that she recommended he eat more.  Or maybe she could tell that I was lying when I mentioned brocolli.   I mean I didn't lie completely.   It's just that I put it on his plate, the brocolli that is, and there is no interest.   The brocolli stays in the same place it was first laid on until it gets dumped in the trash.   I think next time I need to cover it in cheese or ranch dressing to generate some curiosity.    She also mentioned more carrots and green beans.   Sigh, this means that I need to make trips to the grocery store.   Or I'll just pick up a 5lb bag of carrots on our next Costco trip.   

I know they say to lead by example but I despise carrots.  I'll only eat them if they are practically mush and covered in gravy.    Yum.

Parent Inventions

You know as a parent I'm constantly thinking of "Why isn't there something that does this?   Or why can't I have a diaper bag that has this? ... etc ...".     I'm always finding something that falls just a wee bit short of perfection.    I seriously need to start writing my ideas and needs down. 

Speaking about inventions, have you heard about all of these cool parent inventors?    These creative and intelligent people begin their business ideas out of necessity or something that is missing from their child's needs.   One of my favorite parent creations is the Patemm Pad by San Francisco mom Grace Welch.   One day she found that changing her wiggle worm of a daughter on a rectangular pad just wasn't cutting it.   That led Ms. Welch to creating what is now the Patemm Pad, named after her first two children.   I have 2 of these pads and love it.   I use one downstairs at home on a daily basis.    I still use it for the armadillo and it fits him well.   He's 2 1/2 and over 3 feet tall.    The large Patemm pad can accomodate both the armadillo and the sumo baby.     I also stash extra diapers, a tube of diaper cream, baby powder, anti-bacterial gel and some disposable bags in the many pockets sewn in the pad.

Read the full story about Grace and her Patemm pads here.    Be sure to read the other two articles on other successful parent inventors and one unfortunate father whose idea wasn't as triumphant as he could have hoped.

Photo credit: SFGate.com

Ro-mo! Ro-mo!

If he wasn't wearing #9 on his jersey I would have though that was Troy Aikman playing on the field.   Who would have thought that this Tony Romo and my Dallas Cowboys team could have a 5 TD winning game?   Well ... a diehard fan ... me ... um ... of course.    But I have to admit I had my doubts.   When I saw Parcells put Romo in and take Bledsoe out, I figured, oh well, another "transition season".   But hey, they could make the playoffs this year.   I'm not going to jinx it and say that they will but secretly I have my hopes.  It would be lovely if they did, oh so lovely.

BTW, I read something that Jessica Simpson was dating Tony Romo, the newfound quarterback for my team, the Dallas Cowboys.    Tony, dear, please don't let her bubblehead-ness rub off on you ... concentrate on football for the remainder of the season ... you can play with the girls after you win the Superbowl.

My Hair is Not Falling Out, I'm Pulling it Out

How many times does this happen to you as a parent?

Mama: Armadillo, stop taking toys away from your brother.

Armadillo: stops then moves away ... a minute later, the armadillo approaches the sumo baby and swipes the toy away

Mama: Armadillo, stop taking the toys away from the sumo baby, if you take it away again you will get a time out.   Do you want a time out?

Armadillo: No ... a minute later, takes the toy away

Mama: Ok, time out armadillo.

Armadillo: crying ... No No ...

Mama: You are going into time out.    Place the armadillo in his time out spot for a couple of minutes.

I take the armadillo out of time out and what does he do?   Of course, he goes straight for the toy that the sumo baby is playing with.

Mama: ARMADILLO!   STOP TAKING THE SUMO BABY'S TOYS AWAY.   YOU ARE GOING TO TIME OUT!

This happens at least a dozen times a day.   Please someone tell me ... when does it click?   When will my child learn not to take toys away from his baby brother?      Ugh, mama needs a drink.   Have a great Thanksgiving everyone.

Just Doing Nothing

Can one child influence the energy level of another child?    Therefore if the child of influence is absent, does the child that is being influenced reside to just sitting and doing nothing?   I seriously hope not.    The child being influenced is my armadillo.   Today we went to his Little Gym class and one of his BFF's was absent.    I don't know if it was a coincidence or not but the armadillo wasn't his usual rambunctious self in class.   He just sort of hung around not climbing on any structure or running around.    I got a little frustrated as I was trying to encourage him to climb on the bars or walk on the balance beams, but his efforts was so lacking of any enthusiasm.    He was just so blah blah I was almost ready to leave.   But I had to remind myself that he's only 2 1/2 and maybe he just wasn't in the climbing or jumping mood.  It's hard to believe but I guess it's a possibility.    I then gently forced him to walk on the beams and jump off the cushions on to the mats.   The armadillo's energy level slightly increased but was never up to his predictable self.      

We went to lunch with another mama friend and her son.    I could see his energy level go up a little as he was acting out during lunch.  No yelling or screaming, mind you, but the occasional tantrum when I wouldn't let him have a gift card that I gave to the sumo baby to gnaw on.     Next we all went to the bookstore with my mama friend and son.    We let the two boys out of the stroller to roam the children's book area.   Then I saw him at his typical self.   The armadillo and his buddy were running around, pulling out books, and wanting us to read the books to them.   

Maybe he just needed some time to warm up ... or maybe he wasn't sure what to do initially ... I don't know.    But I do discern that the armadillo's behaviors are swayed by other children.   When specific children are displaying certain behaviors I can see the armadillo copying the behaviors.    Ugh, sometimes those actions are not something I desire seeing.    The armadillo yells, hits, and becomes more aggressive.   Not the sort of manners I would prefer him to demonstrate.   However I do realize that with children, persuasions are a 2-way street and the armadillo does go in the other direction.

Juno Baby Love

Boom Chick Time! (from Juno Baby)

I'm just loving these short clips from Juno Baby. They are so adorable and it keeps my sumo baby pre-occupied and laughing. It makes me want to order their full DVD's. I probably should soon as they are offering a 15% discount. Enter coupon code OQb9M at checkout now through December 25th. Make sure you check out the amusing and playful clothing too.