Yesterday, while on hold with the utilites company, I was going through the automated voice system and said “7″ outloud…from across the room Chibby turns around and shouts “3″! Guess which one the automated system accepted!

We grabbed a quick bite to eat after a playdate at the Target food court. As I loaded Chibby into the cart to pick up a few things he looked back at the table and shouted “Bye hotdog!”

No, I said, your hotdog is in your belly.

He lifted his shirt, rubbed his belly, and said “yum”.

I love having an almost 2 year old.

What’s this Chib?

bear

And what does a bear say?

grrrarrr

Very good. What am I?

mommy

And what does a mommy say?

no, no, no

a bit later:

“You sit (not stand) on the couch!  Hey! I’m gonna give you to 3…one…”

two…….he he says eagerly and for the first time.

Any ad featuring “TRUCKS!” has Chibby’s attention right away.  Around President’s Day, Chevy owned every commercial break with flashy pictures of trucks and a jazzed up version of “Hail to the the Chief”.   Chibby started doing a little shimmy dance move every time he heard the commercial.  Now whenever he is excited about a seeing a truck he does his little shimmy.   

After seeing a commercial for a reality dance series in which a kid was break dancing, Chib has added his own attempt at breaking to his dance repitroire.  I knew it was over when he saw the commerical and started jabbing his finger toward the screen and shouting dat dat dat!  Now in the middle of bustin’ a move (which he does often) Chibby will stop suddenly and lay on the floor sticking one foot in the air and using the other to turn himself in a circle.    

A 30 second PetCo spot featuring a wagging dog tail (not even a whole dog) was all it took to convince Chib that we need to buy a dog.  First he pointed at the screen saying “dog”, I responded “that’s right it’s a dog.” Just like that he jumps up, grabs my hand, and drags me to the door… “GO”   Lord help me, he’s so stinkin’ cute I almost did.

While I endured some teasing, I coveted that position, never getting sweaty and always enjoying a great view of the hot guys playing sports.  I saved my energies for more delicate tasks like dancing and singing in choir and quite frankly have never need those valuable kickball skills as an adult.  

My son, already a jock, has decided that Mommy should still be the last one picked.   Just tonight as we were getting ready to put him to bed he simulateniously gave me a giant kiss and pushed me away saying “no” and “bye”.  Ok I get it, love ya mom but Dad is on the bed time team and you are not.  I have to say being picked last is sometimes very nice.

Tomorrow is Mortified Mama Monday and I have good one for you.  Also keep your eyes peeled a new more better beautified blog theme is in the works! 

Now a little adventure in parenting a toddler:

As I head into the bathroom for a shower this morning, a shaggy blonde head becons me from the other side of the baby gate. I peek over to see outstretched arms and an excited little face.  “Mommy’s not taking a bath…Mommy’s taking a shower.” I explain.  Still cute excited face persists.  “You wanna take a shower too?”

Daddy is busy on the phone so I figure what the heck I’m not going to fight cleanliness.  Chibby strips off his clothes (apparently babies turn into nudists at 18 months) and climbs in the shower with me. 

I figure one good blast from the shower head and he’ll be out of there.  I turn on the water and he just laughs.  So I give him a little boat and a cup to play with and quickly shampoo my hair. 

I finish rinsing and as I look down I notice a yellow streak heading towards the drain.  Yep! He peed in my shower.  I did the only thing I could: move my feet far apart so the pee would miss them and laugh my butt off.

My son, seeing nothing but a wall of red coming right at his window shouts “whoa mama!”

As the crazy swerved back to the right and slammed on the breaks (cuz one near collision is never enough) I called back to Chibby “not whoa mama, whoa that guy”

As the red SUV pulled closer again my son starts shouting wildly “whoa dat…whoa…whoa dat dat dat” jabbing his chubby little finger into the window and knitting his brow with all his might.

You tell ‘em kiddo.

I expected a long hot stressful day but what I got was an unexpectedly perfect day….just the two of us. 

You have a toddler and everyday, well every minute, is different.  One minute they’re playing and laughing, the next they’re laying on the ground kicking and screaming.  While luck favors the prepared, even the prepared are no match for a toddler.  When I set out for Sea World I was excited, prepared, and thankful for the good morning we were having thus far.  As it happened both luck and my toddler were in my favor.   

Our mommy-baby adventure was filled with big smiles, beautiful weather, lots of kisses, and enough fun to make Sea World worth every penny.  I totally expected a fight about the stroller because Chibby hates to be strapped in.  But we immediately found an arrangement that agreed with each of us.  At each exhibit I either wheeled him up front so he had a perfect view from the stroller or took him out and stood him up on it so he could see and when we moved to the next exhibit he gladly rode along. 

He ate like a champ at the deli and made friends with the girls at the table next to us (are we surprised?)  During the dolphin show he kept turning around to hug and kiss me which is his very adorable way of telling me thanks. He clapped along with the crowed and shouted “ooooh” during every trick.  The smile plastered across his face was, and even now is, enough to make me cry.

It struck me today when I noticed the woman next to us (who was super nice and a Grandma herself) watching and enjoying Chibby’s reaction to the show that there’s no way that someone without a kid could have had as much fun as I did today.  That grin and those chubby little hands clapping so furiously made Sea World really and truly magical. 

I’ve always wanted to go to Sea World and until today I’d never seen a dolphin, or manatee, or a whale.  Having Chibby along with me on my first visit made it all the more worth the wait.  Sea World is awesome and if you have a toddler I think it is an awesome place to visit.   With a bit of prep you can even go it alone, although, I think it would have been even more fun if Techie had been there to share in our great day!

Love to you all from toasty beautiful Orlando!

Today one very pregnant mom-to-be came to pick up a sling.  Chibby wandered out onto the porch with us.  He stopped directly in front of the giant walking belly (I’m not kidding folks) and stared up.  Then he smiled, lifted up his shirt and rubbed his belly.  No worries sweet Chibby…your perfect little belly button will pop out like a button on a turkey.