the looks

I remember having a talk with Chris a while back, and coming to a consensus that good looks make life much easier. This was all before taking social psych in grad school and learning that this is indeed a fact. We want to be around good looking people and we give good looking people a break.

This is what is happening with Pepe. His teachers (OK,except M,who Pepe says: "I don 't like her") cater to him and find him no fault. Today when I picked Pepe up from school, I saw him literally pulling a chair from under a kids's tushy, and then grab a toy from him.The teachers intervened, but mostly comforted Pepe who also got to keep the toy. And it is not like the teachers saw me. They all rave about his music skills,and guitar playing, and how he sings all the time, and laughs all the time, and is oh so funny. Very different than last school. No wonder Pepe no longer complains about going to school...And today, when I got in and made Pepe give the toy up, one of the teachers said: "It's been a rough day, we stayed inside because of the rain". What can I say? Lets just hope that all of this is not going to make him "nose up in the air", literally speaking, cause in reality he's got mommy's nose and it goes nowhere but down:)

Nr 5

I might have mentioned here that Pepe is fascinated with the number 5.

He counts: "1,2,3,4,5.....GO".
He wants "5" of everything (I have been known to cut cookies or candy in 5 pieces, since he wants 5 o them).
He wants to press the button at the crosswalk 5 times.
Today he did not want to take a nap, so Chris had the brillian idea to take his bball shirt, which has a nr 5 on it and transform it in a pillow, and I heard that worked magic. When I got home, Pepe announced: "I have nr 5 on my pillow, mama".
He wants his hot dog slices arranged as nr 5.
We make a 5 with the syrup on his morning waffle.
What can I say, 5 is the way to go.

Halloween - backwards

6. The boys with their treats: candy for Pepe, beer and pizza for daddy!















5. Coming home with his treats...The looks says "No pictures".















4. Pepe rang the bell at the spooky house. This house is the best. I could not get all the little details, but there were scary inscriptions, and fumes coming out of the ground, and skulls talking...but nothing strays Pepe away from some good candy!
















3. And more gathering - notice Chris wearing a hat. We had over 60 degrees today...















2. More gathering


















1. Gathering - Notice Pepe in his pumpkin shirt. Yes, once again he refused to wear his costume. Chris was a bit embarrassed, but I say the kid's got will and personality. He does not follow the norm!

in case you did not know..

Pepe: Can I have some candy? I need candy!
Chris: You can have a lollipop.
Pepe: That's not candy, that's a snack!

***
Eating dinner, Pepe gulping down his pasta (drenched in parm cheese).
Chris: Pepe, do you know what my kids had for snack today?
Pepe: I don't know...raisins? crackers?
Chris: Good guesses. They had pasta, just like you are having now.
Pepe: That's not a snack! I have graham crackers for snack and I eat it all up!
(True, this kids has a salty and sweet tooth; give him crackers, chips, popcorn, ice cream, cake, candy and he is a happy camper!)

from the mouth of Pepe

AM: Pepe, your cousin Landen is coming to Boston for Thanksgiving.
Pepe: Where is he?
AM: He lives in Florida.
Pepe: We should have him over. That's be nice.
***

Pepe: Hey, I am talking right now! It's my turn!
***

Pepe loves peanut butter (totally my son, I could not exist without peanut butter!). The other day I packed him a sunflower butter and jelly sandwich for school (no peanut butter allowed at school). I asked Pepe if he ate it, and he said: "No, it is dangerous!". Then I opened his lunch box and the Tupperware with the sandwich was sealed with masking tape, and there was a note on top of it, with red printed letters "PLEASE READ, someone has peanut allergy, don't send peanut butter to school". So now my kid does not eat peanut butter anymore, and when I offer it to him he says: "I can't, it is dangerous!". The things kids learn at school...
***
I hear this at least 10 times every day:
Pepe: Mama, do you want to see some crosswalks on the computer? I want to see some crosswalks on the computer. The one that goes "A-ha, A-ha".

Pepe: Mama, can I see a lighthouse on the computer? The one that blinks.
***

what's been doing...

We celebrated Chris's bday on Thursday. The big 44. Pepe and I made a card, and then I wanted to figure out what we should get daddy.

AM: Pepe, it's daddy's bday on Thursday.
P: Daddy's bday?
AM: Yes, what should we get him?
P: Hm, donuts...
AM: OK
P: And gum..
AM: yeah,
P: And pizza
AM: OK
P: And lighthouses....

So we did get the first 3...which started Pepe on the pattern of asking for donuts every morning. He loves to eat the glaze only, so he eats around and around until all the glaze in gone, and then he comes to me and says: "Mommy, do you want some? It is really good", and hands me the leftovers.

Chris's celebration was 3 fold. On Thursday Grandma and Paca Jim came over for some blue ribbon barbecue (yum!) and lava cakes and pecan pies (yumyum!!). Pepe was sooo excited! He helped daddy blow candles, and then he kept asking for more and more icecream ("I need more icecream with my cake"), eating only the icecream and not the cake... Last night Jessy came over and stayed with Pepe, and Chris and I met up with Charlie and Sonia (Sonia's bday treat!)and Al for a super dinner in Somerville. I don't remember last time we ate so much. I was full after the appetizers (blue cheese fondue anyone?). I had 1/2 glass of vodka with grapefruit juice and got to a super happy giddy place instantly (yeah, it does not take much for me). We all stayed up way to late, playing games back at our place, then checking the sports (Chris) and reading (I find that if I stay up later than 1am, I am no longer tired). So this am both Chris and I had headaches and tummy aches and felt so old and unable to keep up with Pepe's enthusiasm - but we swam at the Y and are both feeling better:) Tonight we will celebrate again with Papi and Pepe is super excited to see the kitty cats!

*
I am super excited that we finally bought new clothes for Pepe. He grew so much in the last couple of months, that nothing fit properly. Jeans up to his ankles, 3/4 sleeved shirts, may make a fashion statement, but not the type I am interested in... So I got him new pants and shirts at Old Navy, including 1$ Halloween shirts, super super cute! If grooming would come this easy. I would love to be able to hire someone to cut Pepe's finger and toe nails, comb his hair, wash his face (not the teeth, he loves to wash them for some reason, maybe bc the training toothpaste tastes good?)...Pepe's attitude? "We can do that later, mommy. I am busy right now".

Making brownies

This evening Pepe and I made brownies. This was a first for Pepe. He was very excited to help. He got his stool close to the counter, pour the package into the bowl, cracked the eggs, poured the oil and water, and stirred and stirred. At some point, I hear: "Hm, is this chocolate?", and the little hand start diving into the bowl. "This is yummy". The hand dives again, and again, and again. Pepe's face becomes chocolaty, along with his hands and sweater. Finally we pour the remaining mix into a couple of pans and Pepe is left with the bowl to lick...Down the memory lane I go to the times when my mom or Buni used to make goodies, and my brother and I would have to wait until the mix is poured into the pan, and then see who is quickest at getting to the bowl....