BOTM

Meet Pumpkin Ball, October's Ball of the Month.

I picked Pumpkin Ball up last Halloween for the boy who loves balls. He's been a fine addition to the ball family. Sadly though, they don't make balls the way they used to and I'm afraid Pumpkin Ball's days are numbered. He's getting little cracks all over his dear pumpkin head. Come to think of it, I haven't seen Pumpkin Ball around since this photo was taken.

I believe this concludes our Halloween-ball theme. We already have another one in the closet ready to make an appearance next year. I know you can't wait.

quote of the day

"Buddy, I'm really proud of you -- being such a big boy staying with Aunt Karen and Uncle Bob when Mama and Papa went to the wedding."

"What's a wedding?"

"When two people love each other so much like Mama and Papa, they want to be together forever and ever so they get married."

"They can play?"

"Yep, they play together...they do everything together...Maybe one day you'll get married."

"And play basketball?"

"Sure, maybe you'll find someone you love who likes basketball as much as you do and you can get married and play basketball forever and ever together...."

"Maybe Gavin?!?!?"

question

Is the word "friend" an appropriate word to describe a person who sends your 2 year-old son THIS?


Coincidentally, this is the same friend who bought him THIS.

YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!!

quote of the day

(While watching a Baby Einstein DVD that he requested to see.)

"I keep watching it, but I'm not seeing anything interesting."

look what we made

And by "we" I mean "I". To my little helper, making scarecrows was like so 14 hours ago when he cried because I told him that it would have to wait until today. When it came to the reality of making scarecrows today, however, he was more interested in swinging his baseball bat around. And then claiming that he had lost the little black plastic piece from the handle of said bat in a pile of leaves -- the same pile of leaves I had just stuffed into the scarecrow. "Find it, Mama!" Find it I did, but not inside the scarecrow but on the ground next to me.

He's quite proud of the scarecrows he "helped" make.

IN YOUR FACE, FORTY!!

Today I swung upside down by my knees from the playground monkey bars afterwhich, I performed a graceful handstand dismount. I would've performed even more amazing feats of bravery but Ed urged me not to, threatening me with stories of paralysis and a motherless future for Elian.

into the weird

I reserved the book, Into the Wild, from the library. I've been sort of interested in the story after hearing Sean Penn talk about it. And since he made a movie about it and all....I mean, if it's good enough for SEAN PENN it's good enough for me.

I went to pick the book up from the library. But it wasn't a book at all but instead CDs. So much for reading the description before clicking the button. (Note to self: Must start reading copy before clicking button.) I'm not usually a big fan of books on tape unless it's being read by the author. I prefer to make up the voices in my head. But since I had been waiting a while for the book (cd), I thought I'd give it a whirl.

Since Elian's had the portable CD player in his room listening to HIS books on tape, I thought I'd put it on my iPod. That way, I could listen to it while I walked Norman or before falling asleep. So last night I start it out. I'm all nestled and snug in the bed. Listening. Listening. Hmmm, this seems a little odd. This story kinda goes all over the place. Voice of rationalization in my head: "Yeah, but it was written based on diary entries and all... it sort of makes sense that it wouldn't necessarily be in chronological order, GIVE IT A CHANCE YOU BOOKS-ON-TAPE-HATING SKEPTIC!" So I listen. And I listen. Hmmm, very odd. Wasn't he just telling me about this five minutes ago? Why wouldn't the writer have completed that thought all together?? Weird. I look at my iPod. This just doesn't seem right.

That's when I realized I had it set to "shuffle."

mom vs. little man

Yesterday was a bad day in the land of little boy and mama. UsuallyTuesdays and Thursdays when we spend the whole day together are good ones. But not yesterday. Yesterday kicked my ass.

It started out okay. We went to a friend's house where he got to jump on mattresses and play with fellow little people. But he was being unusually contradictory. I figured he was tired. Or hungry. Yeah, that's it. Good thing it was almost time to go home and make lunch. And naptime!

So we got home and started the lunch making. He wanted pasta. No, he didn't want pasta. He was ready to sit down at the table. No, he wasn't ready to sit down at the table. So finally Mama just started eating lunch without him. NONONONONONONO!!!!!! I WANTTOEATIWANTTOEAT!!!!!!!! Then, guess who didn't want to eat. Then guess who tried to climb up into his booster chair but his foot got stuck and he couldn't move or he'd fall. He moved his foot and almost fell. AHHHHHHHHH! Crying ensues.

After managing to get him to eat a few bites of his lunch, we go upstairs. Ahhh, naptime. Or was it? Turns out yesterday there wasn't going to be a nap. I told him to play quietly then. Unfortunately, it's impossible to play quietly when MAMAMAMAMA!!! MY TRAIN TRACK IS FALLING APART -- HELP ME!!! He cried. Then I cried.

We normally don't wath a lot of TV. Yesterday afternoon we did. Thank you, TV. I love you.

quote of the day

(Shaking head back and forth at dinner.)

Is the home moving? I'M GIVING YOU A RIDE!

quote of the day

(Inspecting the pile of cut-up pancake pieces on his plate.)

LOOK, A TRAPEZOID!!!

koneechiwa

The little dude's fascination with miso soup spoons and pitagora suitchi is leading me to believe we've got some sort of Japanophile on our hands. If only I could find a Japanese immersion preschool, I'm sure he would love him some hikaru dorogdango. You, too, can make your own hikaru dorogdango!!

guess who's sleeping in a big-boy bed?

nothing like a crisp, fall, 90-degree day at the apple orchard

hot potato

Tonight we had dinner with Mike, Shannon and the cousins. There, the little man was introduced to the game of Hot Potato and he got pretty wound up just moments before we left.

On the way home, he couldn't stop saying "HOT POT-TA-TO!" Soon it evolved into "Hot po-puppy!" (who was also in the car with us). Then hot po-streetligh! hot po-duncan!... Then, I chimed in, "Hot po-target!" And of course, Papa couldn't resist joining in on the fun, "Hot po-blanket!" Soon followed by "Hot po-bridge!" On and on until we got home.

And who says the Hernandezeseseses don't know how to party?

little e's ipod playlist

Dr. Worm - They Might Be Giants
Interjections! - School House Rocks
Nine Planets - Justin Roberts
We're Going to Be Friends - The Whitestripes
Yellow Submarine - The Beatles
Blowin' Bubbles - Call and Response
Bob the Builder Theme
Eggs - The Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players
Lollipop - Chordettes
Octopus's Garden - The Beatles
Rad - Smoosh
The Wonderful Thing About Tiger - Disney
Catch My Disease - Ben Lee
C is for Cookie - Cookie Monster
Sleepwalkers - They Might Be Giants
Bed Bed Bed - They Might Be Giants
Lazyhead and Sleepybones - They Might Be Giants
I Am Not Your Broom - They Might Be Giants
Clap Your Hands - They Might Be Giants
The House at the Top of the Tree - They Might Be Giants
Where Do They Make Balloons - They Might Be Giants
No! - They Might Be Giants
Fibber Island - They Might Be Giants
Funky Town - Lipps, Inc.

a proud mama moment

Elian and I have been taking a little class where we spend some time playing together. Then there's some singing in a circle followed by snack time. After snack time, the parents go to a different room and the children play. There is an early childhood teacher and three assistant teachers who assist the children with various activities.

One of the best parts of the class is returning to the children's room after parent time and spying on Elian before he realizes I'm there. I love to see him interact with other people. Last week when I came into the room, he was sitting at a tiny table with one of the assistant teachers and two other children and he was treating them all to a delicious lunch of plastic food. (He had three plastic donuts on his plate. The other kids had vegetables and chicken -- SUCKERS!) Today when I came in, he was going head first down a little slide into a big cushy mat.

While we were gathering our stuff and getting ready to leave, Dorothy, the early childhood teacher said to me. "He's such a nice boy...he's so well-adjusted...he makes our jobs so easy...he's so polite...you've done such a great job with him" Then one of the assistants chimed in, "Oh yes, he's so polite..." and they went on and on just gushing about my boy. It was awesome with a capital A. I normally wouldn't be so braggy braggy, but I figure I'd better enjoy these moments (and brag about them) while I can. One day he's going to be in fifth grade and I suspect the teachers might have something else to report.

quote of the day

(Mid-diaper change.)

PUPPY LICKED MY BUM!!!!

the american idol auditions

Later that day...


And even after simon cowell made him cry, he still finds the strength to go on...

papa vs. mama

How you're like your Papa:
• Your lack of enthusiasm for putting on a Halloween costume
• Your preference for simple clothing (egs: plain slippers vs. ones shaped like animals)
• Your gigantic generous heart
• Your ability to draw (the fact that, at 2 1/2, you can render things so that they're recognizable is beyond amazing)
• Your sense of humor
• Your irritability around lots of people
• Your flair for impersonations
• Your food swings

How you're like your Mama (sorry, little dude):
• Your love for all things sugary
• Your lack of patience
• Your irritability around lots of people
• Your obssessive/compulsive behavior
• Your Super-Sonic Freaky Ears™
• You're not a big cuddler
• Your ease with which you get side tracked. But on the flip-side:
• The level of your frustration with putting something down when you're in the middle of it

How you're like neither of us:
• Your love for all things ball and sports
• Your flair for being social or playing mayor

kamikaze squirrels

What is it with squirrels these days?

I've never been a fan of the squirrel. I don't trust them. When I walk out the door, I half-expect one to pounce on my head and gnaw out my jugular. Maybe it's in my genes. Not that he would ever harm them, but my dad has worked his entire life to eradicate the persistent pests from his bird feeders. He's purchased every "squirrel resistant" bird feeder known to man. The most entertaining of which, has to be this one.

Maybe it's my imagination (or nightmare), but lately it seems like the squirrel population has quaddrupled. And through survival of the fittest, they've become far more fearless. Exhibit a: It used to be when I walked Norman, as we headed down the sidewalk, the squirrels would madly dart out of the way in every direction. Now they just sit there like they're just waiting for us. In fact, I know Norman could've had a big, fat tasty squirrel in his mouth on many occasions. But he doesn't even bother. They've taken the thrill of the hunt away from him. It's as if they're not even trying. Do they have some kind of death wish or is this all part of their master plan?? They just sit there on the bottom of the tree until Norman's teeth are two inches from their fluffy grey tails. Then they say, "dum, dee, dum...oh, I guess I'd better get a move on and scurry up this tree. I'm a squirrel afterall..."

This troubles me. If squirrels are no longer afraid of a big black dog, soon, they will no longer be afraid of us. And then what!?!?!? THEY TAKE OVER THE PLANET, THAT'S WHAT!!!!!!

quote of the day

(We're grocery shopping. I reach for a bag of raisins.)

"Awwww, it's my old friend Raisins."