The Armadillo Tales

Don't

I try to teach the armadillo to stand up for himself when someone is not being nice to him.   I advise the armadillo that if someone is hitting him, to respond to the abuser with something like, "Please don't hit me.".   His version usually is something like "DON'T hit me!", with the emphasis on the word "don't" and the obilgatory finger waving in the face.      I want the armadillo to grow up with confidence and the ability to stand his ground and not let anyone take advantage of him.   Well I think that I'm doing my job pretty well as evidenced by our recent conversation this morning.

Me: "Armadillo, please take off your shoes."

Armadillo: (no response, staring off into space ...)

Me: "Armadillo, ..."

Armadillo: (no response, staring off into space ...)

Me: "Armadillo, ..."

Armadillo: (no response, staring off into space ...)

Me: "Armadillo!    Armadillo!   Armadillo!"

Armadillo: (looks at me) "No shout at me Mommy!"

Me: "hmph! ... smart alec kid ..." I mutter under my breath as I walk away ...

Yucky Again

Well some nasty bug has decided to make its nest in the armadillo's little body AGAIN.    It's not the stomach flu thank goodness, but some sort of bacterial infection.     He's been running a fever since Saturday and coughs like a smoker with a 2 pack a day habit.     The poor thing ... his body has been ravaged from that malicious tummy ailment and now this.    I'm hoping that he'll recover soon and we'll be back on our regular programming schedule.

Sumo Baby's Birthday Photos

Here are some photos from the sumo baby's 1st birthday party last week. It was a great party and we all had a good time.

Lip-smacking birthday cake from good old Costco.

The armadillo trying to figure out how to eat the birthday candle.

The sumo baby starting to warm up to the idea of using his hands to eat birthday cake.

"I think I'm getting the hang of this putting cake on my face thing ..." - Sumo Baby

Cake is good ...

After getting cleaned up ...

Cupcake Addiction

I have a serious cupcake addiction so that makes 52 Cupcakes my drug of choice.   Yummy, absoulutely yummy photos of cupcakes galore are featured on this site.   

Warning: Don't view when hungry or you'll be like me ... drive to the nearest bakery and buy a dozen cupcakes ... yum!

Photo credit: 52 Cupcakes

Don't Throw Those Old T's Away

Now even I can do this.   Click on over to Craft Magazine's blog on how to make an adorable bunny using old clothes.

Warm Weather Fun

Surprising us all today on the Friday before the 3-day weekend, we were spoiled with some warm balmy temperatures.    It must have been in the low 70's today.    With the weather lately being only in the 40's and 50's, a mild 72 degrees was scorching.    I felt like I should have worn a tee and shorts.   The armadillo should have been wearing a swimsuit as who would have known that he would be playing in the fountain today.

After school we all went to lunch with the armadillo's buddies and their mommies and daddy and little brother.    After a hearty lunch at our local salad bar, where the boys feasted on pickles, noodles, cantaloupe, jello, brownies and sprinkles (the kind you dust over ice cream, cupcakes, etc ...), they took a cue from the sumo baby whose shirt I had to take off due to some serious food spillage, the boys decided to remove their shirts.       The three little lads went outside to frolic and cavort in the nearby fountain.   I had to attend to some personal business inside while a friend of mine took the armadillo and boys outside.  When I got back the armadillo had no shoes on and his pants were soaked 3 inches upward from the cuff.      "He was too fast and lept into the fountain before I could stop him.", my friend explained.   I told her not to worry that it was no big deal.   The weather was warm and who wouldn't want to splash around in the fountain.    After awhile the armadillo and his buddy were down to their diapers.    The pants were soaked beyond any wringing I could muster so I was just like, "the hell with it".    Let him have his fun.

I then started to think about how nice it was to not stress about such little things as the armadillo's pants getting soaked.    One of my mommy friends is like that and I'm envious of her.   I rarely ever see her get high-strung or upset with her son.   She's always laughing with her son and she is ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS with the armadillo.   He ADORES her.   I need to remember that my life doesn't have to be so stressful and that it's okay if the armadillo spills juice on his pants or that he's playing in the fountain and getting saturated with water.  It's just water ... it's just juice ... No biggie.

Thank You No More

Does anyone send thank-you cards anymore?    I've been to countless birthday parties and dumped load of Holiday gifts on people and can say that with the exception of my family, who continually sends thank-you cards, that only a handful of gift-receivers mailed out their thank-you's.    Is it not kosher behavior to send a notice of gratitude for money and time spent picking out said present?     I was raised to always acknowledge the gift and express my appreciation in either verbal or written form.   I don't think the tradition of showing your thanks has been done away with because I still see thank-you cards sold in stores and online.   So who buys these cards other than me and my family?    Is there really a market for these cards lately?   Or have I just had the good fortune to align myself with in-laws and friends who believe that giving gifts and not saying thanks is the norm.     I think the latter ... blessed me.

One Second Please

I never realized how tricky it was for B-Dad and I to have a conversation while the boys are up and about.    Last night B-Dad and I were discussing his future business plans, or say trying to discuss it, but we were constantly being interrupted by either the armadillo or the sumo baby.   It was very tiring to be honest to struggle to keep the flow of our dialogue going while hearing the armadillo calling, "mommy, mommy ..." or "daddy, daddy, I want my lollipops ... daddy ... daddy".   Literally every minute the armadillo wanted our attention for something that he wanted to eat or play with.  Or we had the sumo baby trying to escape out of the living room to go into forbidden territories in the house.   After the boys went to sleep I felt like I was in a public debate at a live town meeting.   I was still buzzing from the conversation that I had a hard time falling asleep.   

I started thinking that I need to ask our favorite babysitter to come over every time B-Dad and I wanted to have a serious conversation about something.   Geesh that would be expensive, but hey it might be worth it.

All We Need is Love

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Photo credit: Yahoo

Sick Day

Um, I need a sick day.   This is what I told B-Dad the other night.   The virus that I caught or was politely given, took over and I was done.   I needed to rest ... I needed to sleep ... What I didn't need was to take care of 2 little lovely boys for the whole day by myself.   Therefore I asked B-Dad if he could stay home and help me out.   Luckily after a few minutes of cajoling he agreed.   

That morning the whole family holed itself up in our home for a day indoors.   The boys were in good spirits and their mommy was wailing in misery.    B-Dad was an immense help yesterday.   I was able to sleep in a little, take a nap, and not have to chase the sumo baby around all morning.   

That was yesterday and today I'm feeling somewhat better.   My nose is congested, my throat doesn't hurt as much, and I feel like I'm going to cough up a lung pretty soon.   But otherwise I think I'm doing okay.