The Armadillo Tales

Count

The other night before the armadillo and sumo baby were going to take their bath, the armadillo was in a time out.  I told him that he could finish his time out by counting to ten.   He's done it many times before so I know he could do it again.   So he started ... "one, two ...."  then he would stop.   Count to ten I told him.    "One, two, ..." ... same thing.  It's not that he didn't know what came after two, but he was just being lazy.     Then B-Dad and I started to count with the armadillo ... "one ... two ..." prompting the armadillo to say the next number.    Then we heard, "Three!".    But it wasn't the armadillo, it was the sumo baby.   It was hilarious.    The sumo baby started shouting to the armadillo, "three! three! threeee!".   As if telling him "It's three silly!".    Wish we had that on video.

Lake Tahoe

This past weekend the family took a road trip to Lake Tahoe.    B-Dad and I needed to get our gambling fix and Harrah's really wanted us to visit, as evident in the amount of special offers and coupons we've been receiving.    The temperatures dipped into the high 40's while we were there, so we spent most of our time inside.   Fortunately the hotel has an arcade and an indoor pool so that is where we took the boys during their waking hours for most of the trip.   I don't think there were any complaints on their side, as what little child would complain about playing in water, getting wet, flashing lights and beeping sounds for entertainment.   

Of course us grown ups played our games too.   Unfortunately I don't think we had as much fun as the boys did.   Sure it was good to gamble but it would have been better if we won some money.  Ah such is life.   The last time we were all there was in August, I think.   Or was it July?  I know it was sometime during the summer.    You know you gamble a good number of hours when you return after being away for several months and the staff recognizes you.   I had a couple of pit bosses and dealers recognize me from an earlier visit.   I wasn't sure whether or not to be embarrassed or flattered.   Well whatever, as long as they get my comps right and track my play accurately.   

The hubby and I have player's cards for Harrah's.   If you love gambling as much as we do, I would highly suggest getting a card.   They track your play and give you points based on how much you gamble.   You work your way up to certain tiers (Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Seven Stars).    Then the offers and comps come your way.   I love it.   This past trip our rooms and food was all comp'd.   All we ended up paying for was for our gambling and miscellaneous stuff (tips, etc ...).    That definitely makes losing money much more bearable.   We figure we lost what we would have spent on our rooms and food.   So no harm done.   

Now we're back and I'm exhausted.  I'm not sure why but I'm fatigued and still carrying that headache from Sunday.   Ugh.   I always found it strange how you need a vacation to recover from a vacation.   But this definitely applies here.    Time to end this post as my eyelids are heavy and threatening to close.

Be Prepared, No Really

I don't know why I do this.   I think I'm being prepared for the impending rains and cold weather so I buy certain items in advance.   My favorite store, Target, started selling rain gear months, months ago.    Being a good mommy I bought a Cars poncho for the armadillo, a couple pairs of rain boots for the armadillo and the sumo baby, socks, hats, jackets, ... the whole nine yards.   Well today's the day.   It's raining.  Has been since the morning.   What has this good mommy done to prepare for this?   Nothing, nada.   I totally forgot all about the cool rain gear I bought for the boys and sent them to school somewhat covered.    They both had their shoes, no rain boots.   They had their jackets, but no rain jackets and no poncho.   Poor sumo baby, his jacket hood couldn't even stay on his head.    There were all of these other children at the school that had their rain jackets and fancy rain boots on.     Ah, oh well.   I'm grateful that they at least were dressed warmly enough and covered so that they wouldn't get wet, somewhat.      

I'll have to have the armadillo and the sumo baby try on their rain boots at home so that they get used to walking in them.   It's a double edge sword with the boots though.   Once they get it on, I know it will be a b1tch to get it off.  The boys are going to want to wear it everywhere.    Everywhere.    Fun fun fun!   (sarcastic tone)   

Sick Sumo Baby

My poor sumo baby is a bit under the weather.  He has been fighting a cough for the past couple of weeks.   Now since Friday he's been battling a fever as well.   So far it appears that the fever is breaking and I am crossing my fingers.   Hopefully he'll recover and be his usual sumo baby self soon!

Just Yesterday

This morning I was headed over to my local Macy's and noticed two women also walking towards the store.   One of the women was carrying a baby.    Not in her arms, though, it looked the baby was carried in a ergo baby carrier.   This is the baby carrier I used with the sumo baby.    I suddenly had a moment of bitter sadness as I recalled the days when I used to tote the sumo baby around.   I miss those days.    Although at the time carrying the sumo baby in a carrier wasn't an option, more of a necessity.     Before the armadillo started school the three of us headed towards the armadillo's weekly schedule of playdates, Gymboree classes, etc ...    Poor sumo baby had nowhere to go other than on me.   Now I think about those days and wish I could carry him around again.   

I could if I really wanted to I suppose, but now that he's 1 1/2 and a rambunctious toddler I don't think he'll appreciate it much if I sutff him in my carrier again.  But I could try ... I mean what's the worse that could happen?    He'll probably just give him one his most eloquent replies .... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO    MAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Snack Attack

This morning the sumo baby and I went to our local grocery store.  I wanted to pick up a bunch of those Lunchables Jr..   You know the little snack packs that contain turkey, cheese, crackers, and other varieties.   I like the little jr packs as the turkey is diced up and the cheese is sliced into little strips, and the crackers are the size of a dime.  Perfect for the sumo baby and his little chompers.   After traveling up and down the aisles picking up various items, I stopped by the deli to pick up a sandwich (lunch for the sumo baby) and some sushi (for me!).   Off to the checkout we went with our cart full of stuff.   The cashier was very friendly to the sumo baby and he took to her immediately.   The sumo baby began asking the cashier, "what's that?" for every item that she scanned.   "Snacks", was her reply.    Every item, "what's that?" ... "what's that?" ... "snacks"... "snacks" ... was again her reply.   There was the occasional "meat" or "fruit" but it seemed like over and over we heard, "snacks" ... "snacks".   

Geesh ... I was a bit mortified.   It must have appeared that I shopped as if my parents were out of town.

Soccer Love

"Mommy, mommy I had fun playing soccer! ... I kicked the balls.   It was a lot of fun!"

That was the wonderful greeting I received from the armadillo as my mama friend and I met the boys at the end of their soccer class.   It's our third class and it's going very well.  (knock on wood!)    I seriously don't know how they do it.  Their coach has them run up and down the length of the gym, kicking balls at the same time.    Then they come out of class running still, all around the front area of the gym.   I wish someone could bottle up that energy and sell it over the counter.  It would put Red Bull out of business for sure.   

The sumo baby was hanging out in the child care area and a collective sigh of relief appears to be doing well also.    I packed a little bento of yogurt, cheese and grapes cut in quarters for the sumo baby to snack on while in the child care.     He only ate the grapes of course, because as soon as he sees grapes, nothing else matters or exists.    I wish I took a photo of his snack bento.  Not that it looked awesome or anything like that, but it's a bit of proof that my children actually do eat some healthy food from time to time.

No More Tears

The school situation with the sumo baby has definitely improved, though not that it was all that bad in the first place.   There were a few tears here and there when I dropped him off in the mornings, but now, no more tears!    I'll give him a kiss and hug, and tell him I'll see him soon.   One of his teachers, who are all lovely by the way, will come and pick him up so he can see me leaving and waving goodbye.    Collective sighs of relief are silently uttered as I walk away.   

Now I can get my pedicure without a guilty conscience.

Sunburned Cheeks

My poor sumo baby has had diarrhea off and on for the past five days.   Of course with the diarrhea comes the diaper rash.    His poor bum is covered most days with red prickly bumps.    B-Dad and I are trying to figure out what's causing the stinging poo but so far I'm leaning towards these 100 calorie cheddar-sun chip packs he's been eating.    You know those 100 calorie packs where a handful of snacks are pre-packaged in a 100 calorie serving size pack.    Costco was selling a box where they had 30 packages of (10) 100 cal Doritos, (10) 100 cal Cheeto puffs and (10) Cheddar covered Sun Chips.    When I first saw it, I was like great, the armadillo loves Doritos, so here's a good treat once in awhile.   Then I saw that they had sun chips and I thought maybe the sumo baby will like it.  Which he did.   

I only stopped giving him those chips the other day so we'll see what happens.  I hope that this diarrhea goes away quickly and the poor sumo baby screams bloody murder when we have to change his diaper.  I could imagine what it feels like to get your owie bum wiped several times.   I equate it to someone wiping my sunburned skin.  Ouch!

Wipe Out

Ever since the sumo baby started going to school, putting him down for his afternoon nap has been somewhat easy.  (knock on wood!)    I guess with the activities that he participates in at school it must tire his little sumo baby body out.   The past couple of times driving home I've had to reach into my bag of tricks to keep him awake in the car.    If he falls asleep it makes it so much harder for him to take his nap when at home.    Today it was something new.   I didn't have to roll the car windows up and down to keep him awake, he made it home okay.   It was during lunch.   The sumo baby fell asleep while eating lunch in his highchair!    I saw him eating slowly with his eyes half close.   Oh no, I thought.  What am I going to do?  I still had my lunch to eat, I had some things I wanted to get done before taking him upstairs, get the bag ready for the park after picking up the armadillo, ... all the usual stuff.   But it was time to ad lib.    I hurriedly brought my things upstairs then went back down and took the sumo baby out of the highchair slowly and quietly.   We made it to his bedroom and I laid him down in his crib.  Fortunately his diaper was changed right before we left school so I didn't have to deal with that.   I turned on his little aquarium music maker and left the room.   Nice.

Mondays aren't all that bad.