Hugo's Vest

A gazillion knitting projects have been started by me and have somehow or other lost their way to the back of a closet, knitting bag, and yarn heap.  I was a good Momma and finished up Hugo's vest the other night, which I began on our trip to Tio Raf's house this past Thanksgiving. 

Everything must be blue these days in Hugo Land, his favorite color.  If he watches soccer or football with his Papa, Hugo will always root for the team wearing blue.  Can you guess his favorite Backyardigan character?  Pablo, cause he's BLUE!  All of Hugo's artwork from Preschool comes home in one solid shade or another of blue.  He doesn't mind using light blue or navy or simply blue, just as long as the color is a shade of blue.  Blue, blue, blue, Hugo loves blue. 

A few tears were shed upon learning that his vest wasn't going to turn blue overnight.  I explained my intentions of adding his initials to the back of his vest in blue.  I asked what he might like me to add to the front?  I did suggest the heart, telling him that it was a sign of my love for him.  Thank heavens he wasn't grossed out by that yet, and had no fear of his friends making fun of him wearing a heart on his chest from his Momma.  Hugo asked for a "king hat".  I happily obliged.  So, if you can't tell what that motif is on the front of his vest, it's a crown over my heart, in blue.

Playdate

Today we had a Playdate with Things 3 & 4.  Technically, I was babysitting Things 3 & 4... but in Hugo Land, he was having an awesome Playdate!  The temperature was in the high 90's today and yet the kids wanted to wear costumes.  I kept checking little Thing 4 to make sure he wasn't over heating.  I was over heating just looking at him! 

Jeez, that last sentence reminds me of my Dad.  My parents don't like the humidity, yet they continue to live in Wisconsin.  Hmmm.  During the summer months at home, my parents have the airconditioners buzzing away on high.  I used to sit huddled beneath an afghan reading or knitting as I froze to death and as Dad would walk by he'd say, "I'm hot just looking at you!" 

HUGO, HUGO, HUGO

These are Hugo's little slippered feet. The slippers are on the verge of being too small. I'm not ready to part with them. Isn't that silly of me?! I'm on the search for Christmas replacements. Any ideas?

We played inside this morning preparing for the cold months ahead. I can't remember what we did last year on a daily basis to pass the winter months along. I'm talkin about only last year and I can't remember! I do remember traveling to the Rec Center on many Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday's to play with friends but what did we do while at home? I'm sure I crashed friends quiet afternoons and invited ourselves in. I might have a vague memory of that happening a time or two! I wish I had been blogging back then. A whole entire year ago. I know what we did come spring, Mr Hugo and I. I remember (for now) and I blogged all about it! What a wonder this blogging thing will be for my memory. Goodness.

Something a little screwy is happening between my ears lately. Yesterday as I headed over to my district area within the polling center to vote, I saw two signs on the table dividing it in half.

One read
Last Names A - L

the other
Last Names M - Z

Where did I go? I actually took two steps in the direction of my maiden name. That hasn't happened in a long, long time. Something screwy is happening between my ears I tell ya. I tell ya, I tell ya, something screwy.

Hugo and I sang Row Row Row Your Boat, Itsy Bitsy Spider, The ABC Song, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer (I want him prepared for Christmas you see. We started practicing 2 weeks ago!) and I'm A Child of God all while playing with this set of bowling penguins over and over and over and over again. Over and over again as in, the singing of all the songs many multiples of times while at the same time, setting up in all sorts of designs, the bowling penguins.

We then counted to 10. The counting went something like this:

Hugo & Momma - One, two, threeeee, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, TEN! BEARHUGS!

We counted over and over and over and over and then we started to sing Row, Row, Row, Your Boat Gently Down the Streammmm.......

The End

Beanut Butter

Have I told you yet how much Hugo loves peanut butter & jelly sandwiches? Well, he does. Hugo asks for "beanut butter" all the time. His newest request involves his index finger swirling around in the peanut butter jar. Our friend Sheri was visiting while I was making a pb & j sandwich for him. She saw that I had emptied the jar. She then handed it over to Hugo and taught him all about using his finger to scrape out the last drops of peanut butter yumminess! I didn't really mind. I thought it was pretty cute watching him get his knuckles full of the peanut mess. But now. Now, whenever I make him a sandwich he says, "Mom, fin-ger. Momma finger, please!" How can I resist? Sometimes I stay strong and firm with the N - o spells no, and sometimes, I give in to his request. Today the little stinker hauled the giant Sam's size jar of peanut butter up the stairs to where I was scrubbing out the tub. "Mom fin-ger. Momma beanut butter finger, pleaaaase!"

Car Transporting Options

Just want everyone to know that Mr Hugo is still very much in love with his cars. Every single day the car drawer is pulled out and dumped. Dumped across Hugo's bedroom floor, our bedroom floor, the living room floor or the kitchen floor. The dumped out cars are gathered up a few times a day back into the drawer and put away in Hugo's room. Then they venture out again. Sometimes I think they might be escaping the confines of the stacking drawers all on their own, seeking out Hugo's affection.


New ways have been adopted to carry multiple cars around at once. Pockets work but he's moved on from pockets. He uses an old easter basket sometimes. A multi colored hot pink basket given to him by our friend Ms Sheri. A never used Huggies Wipes container was being tried out in these photos. Not his favorite. Too many opening options for Hugo to navigate. Hugo's most common choice for carrying his cars about is one of his bug boots. Yep, his puddle splashin, mud stompin, made for weed wackin wearin bug boot. And both boots are not car worthy at the same time. Just one boot at a time carries his precious cargo. These boots haven't been worn by his feet in awhile because one or the other is never in it's place and when found, is always full of cars.

Picky Eater

Hugo has been a bit of a picky eater recently. Here is a short list of some of his current favorites: Goldfish, cheerios, apples, raisins, bananas, grapes, watermelon, risois, potatoes, ravioli, applesauce, yogurt, peanuts, freezer pops, and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. He used to love broccoli and cauliflower. Not anymore. The only vegetable I can get him to eat these days is a carrot. Hugo loves carrots. He doesn't eat much meat. He does like the occasional bacon, ham and salami but not sausage. Chicken has it's yes and no days but mainly no way days and he'll shake his hand at me in a mock wave to say, "No way Momma". Because he always drinks milk he thinks that water is a big treat, hee, hee, hee! He does get a juice box once in a while. He loves it when I give him a little bag of fruit snacks. Popcorn is also popular, he calls it simply "corn".

Tonight I made something new and Hugo really liked it. I tried out a recipe for Chicken & Herb Fritters. Hugo finished his plate and licked it clean. Hugo then moved over to Poppa's lap and helped him to polish off his plate. He wasn't interested in our salad. We thought he'd try out the Craisins since they look so similar to his fave raisins but nope. Not gonna. I had used a vegetable peeler to peel a carrot into our salad. Hugo pinched all the fine carrot peels out of the salad with his thumb and index finger and into his mouth. He checked out what was left on my plate and then slid on over to my lap to help finish off my fritters. I am planning on making these again with vegetables add in.

Chicken & Herb Fritters

Makes 8
1 lb 2 oz mashed potato, with butter added
1 1/3 cups cooked chicken, chopped
2/2 cups cooked ham, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh mixed herbs
2 eggs
1 tbsp milk
2 cups breadcrumbs
salt & pepper

In a large bowl, blend the potatoes, chicken, ham, herbs, and 1 egg, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into small balls or flat pancakes.

Add the milk to the second egg.

Place the breadcrumbs on a plate. Dip the balls in the egg and milk mixture and roll in the breadcrumbs, to coat them completely.

Heat oil in a large skillet and cook the fritters until golden brown. Serve hot with a mixed salad.

So, if you have a picky one in your house ... try these! They were delicious. Not so pretty, we'll work on that next time. Small is good. Balls might have worked better than the pancake shape I tried for. Good luck.