Wonder Pets!

One of the videos that A received for Christmas was The Wonder Pets Save The Bengal Tiger.

The first time we watched it, when the tiger was singing about still not having the thorn out of her paw, A turned bright red and started crying. At first I wasn't sure what was happening because I was hearing a funny noise (which turned out to be A) and I was sitting behind him, so I didn't notice the color. Fortunately, the thorn came out (and was followed by a Baliwood number).

On the same DVD is the Wonder Pets saving the What? In this episode, the Wonder Pets decide they need some help and so they "break the fourth wall," make the viewers honorary Wonder Pets and hand out a cape. Oh. My. God. A was ecstatic. As soon as the episode was finished, he wanted to build a "fly-boat" (the vehicle the Wonder Pets travel the world in).

However, as soon as I reminded A that the Wonder Pets save animals and that this was incompatible with being mean to the cat by dropping things on her, he declared that he was a pirate.

Costume King

In quick news: A likes to make everything a pirate song -- usually Christmas Carols have all their words changed to "Arrrgh." Saturday we went to a Pirate Event, and I'm pretty sure that A was the best dressed pirate there (thanks Grandma M!). ... And, A seems to be in costume mode lately.



I walked into the living room, where I was informed by M that A wished to be wrapped up like a present. With a bow.

I didn't argue.

Although the end result was less "Santa Baby" and more "Madame Butterfly."











On a previous night, some Spirit of Dance visited our house. It's kind of hard to see, but A is holding a plastic milk jug in his left hand. Inside the jug is a small plastic turtle which he shook with wild abandon. Adding to the cacophony are jingle bells on his leg (it's an old dog collar).

A would run from the front door to the hall, stop, and then stomp as though he was trying to single handedly kill an entire hive of ants one by one, all the while shaking the plastic turtle in the jug like the Spirit of Brownian Motion.

It was animistic. And slightly spooky. (Note to self: stop playing the Y'ma Sumak...)







And just a few hours ago, A somehow convinced M to dress him up with faerie wings and one of my childhood vests (it's complicated). A self-applied the faux woad.

We're not sure if he's ready for

• The Local Hippy Faire
• A Good Faeries / Bad Faeries Party
• The Nutcracker, or
• Peter Pan

I don't think I'd want to be one of Hook's pirates just now...

Pirate Carols

A's favorite holiday activity is to turn any Christmas Carol into a Pirate Carol by changing all the words to "ARRRGH!" Usually this is done to "Jingle Bells," but it also works for Tanenbaum."

He's also moved on from wanting to place explosive pop-guns on the tree (which blow up when you press a button) to blowing up the whole tree. And our house.

M has stretched out the holiday season by playing "The Christmas Game" with A. This involves A hiding in his room until M shouts, "Merry Christmas" at which point A runs out and looks into the small re-usable holiday boxes we have. Usually in the evening he finds his old toys, but sometimes in the morning a brand new one appears.

Santa's Coming!

Look Busy!

Winter 2008 Tree Hunt

Tuesday After T-Day

Here's the latest picture safari.

A has had a cough the last day or two. A says that he wants to tell
people "Come here tomorrow. Goodbye!"