Puppy and Mr. Eyelashes

Jude has been modeling with his puppy lately. He feeds his puppy, changes his puppy's diaper, kisses the puppy's "boo-boos," wipes up his puppy's spit up, breastfeeds his puppy (yes, shirt up and everything), has the puppy pick a book for nap-time, sits his puppy next to him on the couch to watch "boom-de-aye" (The Aristocats), swaddles his puppy, rocks his puppy to sleep, etc. It's pretty adorable. So, when I was taking pictures of Gabe the other day, Puppy had to get in on the action too. And then, of course, so did Jude.

A swaddled puppy receiving some kisses

Man, do we love this kid.

Haircut

From this rock-star wild man:

Through this:

To this:

My boy is a little manic these days. Most days he cracks us up continually, dancing and playing air guitar, singing songs (specialties include "A, D, A, D," which is the ABCs and "viiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiccccccccccccccceeeeeeee," which is Edelweiss), getting into mischief, you know, the usual. But the tantrums have started, so help me, they have begun...Today, there were two. The first was a bath tantrum that occurred when I turned off the water in response to Jude dumping it by the cupful OUT of the bathtub and onto the floor. He didn't like that. Histrionics ensued, culminating in his throwing up (also by the cupful) from being so worked up. Eggs a second time, not as nice..... Tantrum lasted about an hour.

Tantrum #2 occurred just before his nap. He'd gotten his little hands on half a piece of gum and I asked him to take it out for his nap. He said, "Nope," and kept chomping. Eventually, after asking nicely many a time, I pried his little sassy mouth open and took it out. He heaved and cried for over an hour, inconsolable, mumbling, wailing "gum...gum....gum" incessantly. He'd shout at me if I tried to cuddle, talk or sing to him. After he finally calmed down and I put him down, I had to put myself in time out.

But, luckily, he woke up happy and reminded me how delightful he can be. Any brilliant coping strategies for these nerve-pummeling moments, people?

A few recent antics....

Jude got into my make-up and applied it just like I do. He looks better aux naturale, methinks.

After putting on his jammies the other night he ran around the house like a banshee pulling his pants up over his belly. This one has some serious fashion sense...

Unfortunately, he got a hold of my sun glasses. Fortunately, he knows how to work it...

Day at Home

When Jude and I went out to the car to run errands this morning, we realized that both car seats were sitting peacefully in other cars, miles and miles away. So, Jude and I had a day at home today. Among other things like laundry and baths, we made some fudgesicles (thank you, Smitten Kitchen) and blew bubbles and then ate said fudgesicles with relish. After being gone all weekend (Mike and I had a little get away to San Luis Obispo...such a lovely place), it was nice to spend some time with my little buddy.

I think Jude likes chocolate...

Watching the bubbles fly away.

Chapstick: A Tutorial

1. Apply liberally to luscious lips. Be sure to stick the lips out to cover the maximum surface area.
2. Repeat, ya know, for softness and stuff. Lick in between applications.
2. Next, rub a bit into the nostril cavity, just for good measure
3. And the inner lips, too, for taste.
5. Completely ignore your mom's request to refrain from digging into the chap stick and gouge that sucker as far as your finger can go and get a good, healthy chunk. Lick finger, sucking off every last morsel of minty goodness.

4. Return the cap, or at least pretend to by sticking it onto the wrong end until mom's not looking and you can take another nibble
6. Smile on command when mom says so. Even if you have to fake it.
7. When that doesn't work, try and charm her by imitating dad's half-crooked smile
8. Work the camera as necessary, showing off those newly soft, pillow-y lips.

Big "P," little "p," what begins with "p"? Playing with Papa in the Park....p...p...p

**Please note in this picture that Mike dressed Jude and apparently thought it appropriate to put him in a onesie that is no longer big enough to snap at the bottom. So, he walked around with his tails hanging out all day.

Wheel-barrow races. I was actually impressed with how quickly they moved.

Devolution

The Artist at work
Given the glorious weather, we decided to make a trip to the dollar store for some washable paint for an outdoor art project. I knew it would be messy, I just had no conception of how messy. Of course, Jude is the mayor of mischief. He gets this look in his eye, like the one below when he had decided to smear the paint all over his face, and he knows he's being devious, and there's no stopping him. He revels in it. He looks most like Mike when he is being devious, which makes Mike proud, I think. There is a part of me that resists the mess (and, trust me, it was a huge mess), but I let him go hog wild so infrequently, I just have to squelch the desire to chase him around with a trail of wet wipes.

Cleaning up. Have you ever seen a cuter bum? Seriously.

Saggy-bottomed dancing on the table

Easter outfit, early

Mike doesn't believe that having a new Easter outfit is an actual "thing" for a man, so the little outfit we got for Jude this weekend had an early debut. (Am I crazy? It's a thing, right?) I'm sorry, but I'm obsessed with this kid. I can't help it. I am a true, acknowledged ridiculous parent. Every day I just turn into a puddle of mom over his sweet little face and smile. Plus, he does things like hold my hand during meals, kiss my baby bump, dance like a fiend, hug and kiss his puppies, and kiss "ouchies" better. I can't stand it. Somebody stop me.