So what if he likes pink & Pilates?

Today after naptime we went to the grocery store where they had a new style of shopping cart with a Goose-sized car attached to the front. The old ones had the car close to The Parent, and thus was much less desirable. These newer models are all the rage. We zoomed around Kroger and honked the horn and nearly knocked down an entire display of taco seasoning, but somehow managed to emerge unscathed.

And then, right next to the cart return, there was a stash of free balloons with suckers attached to the bottom of their strings. I got him out of the cart and was trying to whisk him out of the store and into the parking lot to look at some trucks when all of a sudden he spotted the balloons. I thought he was diving for the shopping cart wheels (as usual), but this time it was all for a pink balloon with a sucker. And of course I had, on the way in, said to the nice lady in charge of balloon distribution, "No thanks, we don't let him have candy, and balloons can be dangerous." Somehow she found it in her heart to stifle her urge to laugh as I, on the way out, said, "Oh, would you like a balloon? OK, just choose one then."

I was so relieved that he wasn't going to lie down on the ground in protest about exiting the cart that I didn't care if he had a big pink choking hazard with a hard lump of sugar attached.

When we got home he played with that balloon until the both of them were plum out of get up and go. Then he moved on to playing with one of my Pilates rings:

But after dinner we were back to the norm: trucks, rasslin', and basketball. He has a new habit of parking his vehicles on top of his Grampy's old chair. It's such a strange little ritual, but so HIM, that I had to get a photo:

This week The Goose has been on Spring Break from his school, which means that The Dad has had to take off work TWICE and The Mom ONCE. We may have to start looking for a different school soon. But even though he was only there ONCE last week, he picked up Emma's cold (even though her mom, upon dropping her off, said, "Emma's got a runny nose and is sneezing, but it's not a cold, it's just allergies." RIGHT). So we've been doing the neb at night and things seem to be getting better. He is such a big boy now that he can sit in the parking lot chair and hold the mask himself (for the full TEN minutes)! We don't even have to sing songs anymore! He just sits there and stares at the video. Oops, I mean, what video? I don't know where that word "video" came from, but of course we are against him watching videos until at least 24 months. Of course.

But otherwise we are healthy and happy except for the new sprout of eczema on his chin:

It's gone from his legs (thanks to Burt's Bees Baby Bee Lotion) though, so we are making progress.

Besides a virus, we also picked up his school pictures last week, of which there were three poses. Here's a taste, but click on the picture to see the other poses. Send money if you want copies:

Doesn't he look like a little Sigma Alpha Epsilon?

I'll leave you with one final picture of him in his new favorite outfit: orange pants and a skater-style shirt (size 2T). On the back pocket of the pants is a little rectangular sign that says, "CAUTION."

And ooh ooh ooh! Look at that new circa-1930s mantle clock!!! Mama's birthday present from Macy & G-Diddy. It chimes on the quarter hour and says tick tock and is a huge hit with everyone. THANKS!

See y'all next Thursday!