"Boobies," the Potential End of a Political Future and Live! Nude! Girl!

That got your attention, didn’t it?

It’s been so quiet around here lately! Where is everyone? Have we all succumbed to mid-winter/post holidays/pre-tax refund (or bill-gah!)/malaise?

In any event, I hope everyone is OK.

We are plugging along.

Last night, Leo did. Not. Feel. Well. He whined in agony when I told him it was time to turn off “Yo Gabba Gabba” (damn you Nick Jr. for your uncanny ability to advertise “Coming up next! Dora the Explorer” at the precise moment that I set dinner on the table.)

Sidenote: We are late to the Yo Gabba Gabba party. I put it squarely in the “shows that mesmerize kids to the point that it’s creepy" (is it mind control?) but still, is there anything cuter than Leo, bolting off the couch so that he can join his Yo Gabba buds in their dance moves? I know, I’m biased.

Speaking of Nick Jr., they are currently running a segment on homemade smoothies. They're simple enough to make and I'm already a big smoothie maker, but whenever Leo sees this ad, he comes straight to me and demands, simply: "Boobie."

So I’m choosing to ignore the tell-tale very faint beginnings of some kind of…rash on his face. I’m in complete denial that Leo might have strep. Again. He didn’t eat a bite of dinner last night and I didn’t push the subject (I’ll admit the leftover pizza and frozen fish sticks were not all that appealing but I do think there was something else going on).

After a good five minutes of a pathetic Leo lying silently, tummy down on the love seat, I went to him and held him. I asked him if he wanted to read a book and he agreed. He asked for juice and we read a sing-a-song Sesame Street book and that seemed to perk him up a bit. A few minutes later Ellie padded over to us, cheese pizza crust in hand. An impromptu after dinner (or in Leo’s case, dinner replacement) sing-a-long was born.
***
Upstairs, we sped through bedtime preparation, skipping a bath. I didn’t want to miss the window of tiredness with Leo, though I didn’t think there was much chance for this. At first he refused Tylenol with a stomp of the foot. I didn’t push it, and 30 seconds later he approached me. I honestly think he knew it might make him feel better. He’s getting old enough to know. Or at least I think so.

And then Leo fell asleep on the toilet.

I hope I’m not endangering Leo’s future political career with this news, but it truly was a sight to see.

Meanwhile, Ellie was busy with the constant running dialogue that she provides to life. It’s truly comical: “When I was sick I went to the hospital because I threw up when I ate the cupcake from the bookstore...Mommy you have a boo-boo...I kiss your boo-boo...” (all true, by the way). Leo was in and out of consciousness atop the commode, watching Ellie with humor and bewilderment and a general look of “does she ever shut up?” on his face. (The answer, bless her heart—is No).

"Oh Mommy!" (Looking at my bathrobe) "You have a pink one!"

Once in bed, Leo fell asleep in less than a minute (a new record, I think).

Ellie…did not.

I took a shower. I cleaned up the kitchen. I let the dog in. I let the dog out. I let the dog in. I put away all the laundry (yay me!). I ate two oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and drank a mug of milk. I watched “Life Unexpected” (eh…I like. I don’t love it. But I’m hanging in there. I’m enough of a sap to be patient and to appreciate the sentimentality of it. If nothing else I enjoy (and get a little teary/nostalgic) all the shots of the Portland skyline.

All the while, Ellie sang. Ellie whined. Ellie chatted. Ellie dropped and called out for her “pink bobby” (her word for pacifier, I know, I know, she’s 2 ½ and still sleeps with a pacifier. Shoot me. It makes her happy. I am big on “life is too short, and if it’s not hurting anyone…”).

It was nearly lights out (for me) at 10:30 and the little chanteuse was still going strong. I figured I could just leave her couldn’t resist checking on her.

And sure enough, when I opened her door a sliver. Birthday suit city.

I don’t know what it is with the late night singing and nudity with Ellie. I will say that she’s very cooperative and seems to be in on the joke. She knows exactly what she’s doing. She has been known to fall asleep naked (she wakes up when I try to dress her so it’s better to catch her before she falls asleep).

There was gleeful skipping into the bathroom, there was galloping back to the bedroom for a brief haggling over pajamas (No Mommy! I want the pink ones!). And there was blissful contentedness to be tucked in with two blankies, two bobbies and Cleo.

And then, eerie, miraculous silence.
***
Leo was fine this morning. Granted, he didn't eat his waffle, but he drank his "boobie" with abandon and later ran to the little yellow bus with a spring in his step. Today at least, there was no (feared) call from the school nurse.

And hopefully, tonight will be better than last night. For Leo and the little diva songstress.