Chuck E. Cheese's: Not As Disgusting As You Might Expect

Yesterday Alec learned that we'd been keeping something from him. Something big. Something called Chuck E. Cheese's.

Tom and I are not fans of that mouse, due to horrible memories of dirt-crusted singing robotic animals, cardboard pizza and, most of all, screeching children covered in varying degrees of snot.

Because I love Alec so much, I planned a trip to the big cheese. I did not tell Tom. I told Alec we were going to a mystery location, to which he asked, "Can we take the Mystery Machine like Shaggy and Scooby-Doo?" When we pulled up to the evil destination, his eyes got as big as cardboard pizzas. It was as if I had never told him that a herd of dinosaurs secretly lives in that overgrown patch in our back yard, or that he could eat blueberries and cheese doodles all day.

It was surprisingly clean, and empty (because it was about 3 in the afternoon, I guess). Alec was scared of the two Jurassic Park games and a stomp-on-spiders game and wouldn't go on the tunnel climbing thing, but he rode some rides and played some games. Once he figured out the currency of the situation (games=tickets=prizes) he was really into it. He carefully deliberated over the prizes and selected a stretchy dino, nose glasses, a lollipop and tattoos.

He's been talking about it ever since. "What was that place I went to? It's called Chuck E. Cheese. What's the good game? What's the scary game? What did I did? What did I win?"

Achievement of Olympic Proportions

 

 

 

 

Yes, it seems silly to have a preschool graduation. And even more indulgent to give "diplomas" to the kids who are just moving up from the two-day class to the three-day. But it's so darn cute!
The festivities yesterday evening at Alec's school capped off the month's Olympics theme. The kids took part in a relay (Instead of circling the playground, Alec took the baton and sat down) and a water balloon toss before joining in a pint-sized protest of the Beijing Olympics (OK, I made that last part up). They each got a crown of grape leaves (really maple) and a medal; Alec is still miffed I wouldn't let him wear his to bed.
Then came the graduation ceremonies, which consisted of the teacher presenting a diploma and saying what each kid had told her he or she wanted to be upon growing up. Alec said "a dino," which might not seem to be the most realistic of career goals, but dino is a far more power position than that chosen by the kids who wanted to be a kitten, a frog and a pegasus.

Angel Wants to Wear His Green Shoes

 

 

I keep telling Tom how lucky he is we didn't have a girl, because I'd constantly be buying pretty dresses and all that princess crap and what-have-you. Alec is fine with clearance-rack $2 sweatpants and shirts from Target, Penney's and Old Slavey. Sure, there's the occasional must-have dino shirt, but for the most part he gets by on the aforementioned plus hand-me-downs as well as stuff Grandma sends. The exception: Shoes. That boy likes shoes. He only has a couple of pairs at a time, but I'll pay $25 for a nice, durable, cute pair of Alec shoes, such as the Dinosoles I got brand-new off eBay and the Mickey Mouse Crocs I have on order. But yesterday we were at Ross (like TJ Maxx but dirtier) and he spied these rad green rubber clogs by Carters. They were only $5.99 and he rarely is insistent about buying things, so I bought them and he wore them right out of the store. And practically every second since. Paired with his new gecko outfit from Grandma, he is quite the cover model. Although he is getting that goofy boy picture pose down.

Probably Very Highly Rated

Alec and I walked into Target and he noticed, for the first time, the closed-circuit monitor thingie upon which our images were being projected. "Hey!" he pointed. "It's a show about us!"

Happiest Kid On Earth

 

 

 

 

Testing, 123

 

This pic is from my point-and-shoot. I'm trying to decide if I should lug my DSLR around Disneyland. Oops! Buried my lede. We're going to Disneyland in May. Alec is so excited! He keeps talking about the Jungle Cruise.

Date With Some Ducks

 

Today we grabbed the rest of Dad's loaf of bread (tough luck for his sandwich tomorrow), minus a slice Alec ate in the car on the way, and headed to Horseshoe Lake to feed the ducks and geese. It was so much better (for Mom) than last year, when I was afraid Alec was going to plunge into the murky waters. Now he's 3 and we're both less spazzy.

After the ducks were fed, I made good use of a "kids eat free" coupon and braved Denny's. Say what you will about Denny's (and my tummy is saying a lot after those Moons Over My Hammy), but they have a great kids' menu. Alec ate every bite and was super-stoked about the rocket cup. Back to healthful food tomorrow.

Once Upon A Time

Alec told this story today:
"You used to be a tiny baby. Then you grew up to a mommy, and you said "good-bye" to Grandma.

Easter Excess

 

 

 

 

TMI (You've Been Warned)

Today I came home from work and asked Tom how Alec was feeling, since he's been fighting off a cold.

Tom: "He had a touch of diarrhea."
Alec: "I didn't touch diarrhea!"

Gobs of Grapefruit

 

There are still ants crawling out of my hair, but Alec enjoyed picking grapefruit from the tree in our yard, especially since it's the first time he's been unleashed on the world since contracting a weird, instant fever two days ago. I don't like ants in my hair, but I like fevers even less.

The Aforementioned Owl

 

Like An Owl From the Darkness

I am just now emerging from the fog of a bout with the flu, an 104-degree, shivery evil that was fortunately afflicted upon me, not my spawn, who managed to attract only a cold that caused him to miss the preschool field trip to the fire station. (Although, ironically, Dad had to go on it.)
Let us instead remember happier times, the first weekend of March, when we met Gram and Grandma in Redding for a trip to Turtle Bay Exploration Park. A picture of an owl (or, as Alec would elaborate, "It's a great horned owl, Mom,") is included for Steve Jackson's pleasure.
Thank God, the devil, and his noodly appendage that Gram got her flu shot.
 
 
 
 

Raining On My Parade

Go figure. When it was unseasonably sunny a couple of weeks ago, Alec was stuck inside with a contagious cold watching too much TV. Now, he's full of beans and it's raining cats and dogs. Messed up our planned trip north to Grandma's, too (because I don't drive in snow--snow way!). We did some puddle jumping yesterday and broke in Alec's new dino raincoat, courtesy of Juli.

 

 

I Almost Know My ABCs

Well, These Are Cute

New kids' Birkenstocks. Alec would trip all over them, but they sure are cute. There's even a matching jacket.
 

Hat Trick

 

Alec detests his own hats, but is happy to wear mine or Dad's.

OK, Maybe I Can Blog More

The millions who frequent this blog may have noticed that I haven't been posted much in the last few, well, years. I blamed this on the same irony that keeps me from scrapbooking much anymore: Had kid. Now have something to blog/scrap about. Oops; now have no time, due to said kid.
Then, yesterday, I get an e-mail from an Internet friend with a link to her new blog for and several pictures of the new baby she'd had the day before. But wait, there's more. While I've been spending the last three years getting used to having and caring for this one kid, Internet Friend has had three: There's the first one, born two months after Alec and named Devanie (which is how we met; she Googled the name and e-mailed me to ask how I liked mine). Then, she had another one. Now, on Feb. 15, another. Three kids in the time since I've had my one. And one is enough for me, thank you (so stop asking!). Anyway, Internet Friend is amazing, and her four girls are super-cute and congrats to her and omygosh I guess I can manage to blog about my one kid a little more often.

The Monkey Tree

 

Alec's First Christmas Program