Xylophones & Pancake Syrup

He's just like me: so musical and he loves pancake syrup.

Today his two obsessions were this new all-wood xylophone that The Dad brought home from the health food store and an empty bottle of Log Cabin Original (see below). The music set also included a pair of castanets (sp?) and a dysfunctional kazoo. We called the 800 number that was listed on the back of the box to report that it was wasn't working and they promptly informed us that it was not a kazoo -- well EXCUSE us -- and that it wasn't necessarily supposed to work all that well. I guess it's just for show. At any rate, I have tried and tried to make it whistle and each time I blow into it, The Goose melts down into a puddle of shrieking and pants-leg yanking. It terrifies him even more than the Cuisinart food chopper.

And here he is with his empty bottle of Log Cabin syrup. It finally found it's way to the toybox after riding around on his cart for a while, watching Baby McDonald (On the Farm!), and lying around outside in the yard while he was chicken chasing. In teh background is The Dad, who is actually on the phone with the kazoo manufacturers being belittled. Thank goodness he didn't embarrass me further by telling them that I couldn't figure out how to make it work even though I have a minor in music from a private college.

His new big thing is to set things on the cart and try to travel without them falling off. This is another future Olympic sport, I'm sure. Below is another example, with a small teddy bear riding shotgun:

Otherwise, he's still just a destruction machine (we haven't heard from NASA about that robotic arm that I requested several months back). Here's what the kitchen looked like after only about 10 minutes of Goose Occupation. He's like an army of one: rummaging, pilfering, destroying everything in his path.

This was all TODAY. I feel like each day is an endless clean-up marathon. Tonight there was angel hair pasta in his butt crack.

Also today we went to the doctor just to be safe (he hasn't coughed in two straight nights!). She decided it was best not to expose him to radiation since he wasn't currently having a problem (thanks Uncle Keith for the mattress suggestion & Grammy for the cool-mist humidifier). She listened to his chest and looked at his ears and we got the all clear. She thinks he's her best patient ever. She said he had a charming smile and I can tell that she thinks he's way cuter than any of her four kids or any of her other patients. This is also very much like me: one time I got the Patient of the Year award from my hometown dentist, Dr. Rives. The prize was one of those Crest electric toothbrushes that has the swiveling, circular bristles, which has also made its way to the bottom of the toybox, but I digress ... the important thing is that he is fine for now and we are hoping and praying that the cough doesn't resume.

After going to the doctor we stopped at a playground where I sat back in utter amazement as The Dad and The Goose attacked the slides. The Goose probably went down the slide (feet first, on his stomach) at least 20 times. The Dad probably went down 40 times (in various positions) and a little boy, whose name is Florian (bless his heart -- y'all don't make fun of his name -- his father is European and they just moved here from California), joined in on the fun as well. At these times in The Goose's life, it's as if I don't even exist. I attempt to help him up the stairs to the slide or stop him from sticking sycamore leaves into his mouth, and he pushes me away and promptly looks around to see where The Dad is: Oh! there he is hanging from the monkey bars ... no, now he's on a swing ... nope, now he's CLIMBING the sycamore tree. No wonder I'm unnecessary at times like this.

The fun and games finalized with The Goose attempting to snag Florian's Mommy's water bottle, me saying "no," and then him having a BMSF. We said goodbye to Florian and high-tailed it outta there.

So that's about the extent of our day. I hope yours was filled with as much excitement, enthusiasm, and action. Saturday The Goose and I will be attending a "Mommies in Motion" class, which involves power walking with a stroller, squats, & stretching. Lord, help us all.