Things have been a little stressful here lately. Not “incurable illness” stressful, or “facing time in prison” stressful, but hard to deal with nonetheless.
So we’ve been doing what grown ups do when times get to be not fun, we’ve been bracing each other up, back to back, buckling down and dealing with it. We’ve been working hard, praying for guidance, and letting the little things slide from time to time so we’ve got energy to deal with the bigger issues.
Only the thing about letting little things slide is that toddlers notice that shit. They notice that you’re not quite as quick on the trigger with some things. They begin to sense you might have a weak spot.
And like little lisping lions, they pounce.
For instance, you might have baked a huge batch of mocha cupcakes because you needed to eat your feelings one weekend. And you might have remembered to put the cupcakes in a cupcake keeper, but maybe you forgot to put the cupcake keeper out of a toddler’s reach.
So while you’re on the phone doing adult stuff and taking care of the not-fun business, your little chubby predator has pulled himself up a chair next to those cupcakes.
You hang up the phone and notice how quiet it is. You see no one is standing too close to the television, no one is singing along with Barney.
You come around the corner in the kitchen and a little mopheaded blond boy with dark blue eyes whips around in the chair and peeks up over the back at you, Kilroy-style.
“HEY Mommy! Whatcha doing? How AHH you?” he asks.
“I’m fine,” you reply, eyes narrowed.
“Thas good,” he says, then begins to tap his fingers on the chair and sing.
“Doo doo, la la. Doo doo, la la,” he chirps.
You notice those tapping fingers have brown smears on them. You get closer, close enough to see his whole face, and notice it’s completely covered with that same shade of brown. Then you see your cupcakes.
“WHAT have you been DOING?” you ask, incredulous.
“Nuffin,” he swears solemnly, the evidence betraying him. “Nuffin’, Mommy. Singing a song.”
Busted, he looks to you for clues. Will there be punishment, swift and perhaps severe? Or is he cute enough, juuuuust adorable and charming enough to fool you into thinking this is a blessed moment of levity in disguise?
Yeah, he’s that cute. Dammit.
I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to co-host #iPPP with Greta. As my focus is clearly on things other than blogging this year, I’m sad to say this is my last week to do so. The lovely, brilliant Sarah will be co-hosting from now on over at The Sunday Spill. I look forward to dropping in and playing along once in awhile!
Link up your posts with camera phone photos here!
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He’s such a charmer. I don’t blame him at all for stealing those cupcakes. I’da done the same thing. I’m going to miss you around here.
Nah, you won’t. I’m useless lately.
Oh cheeky Monkey!!!
The stains are so not obvious, ahem.
Sad to see you leave #IPPP, just don’t leave blogging again, ok?
(hope all is well)
Bah, like that’s possible.
And everything is fine! Just a preemptive culling of tasks, you know. To preserve sanity down the line.
NOOOOOO! The picture isn’t showing up for me! Stupid hotel internet.
I can only imagine how awesome his cupcake face is.
In fact, I want to have a cupcake face now, too.
But since I can’t see the picture, I’m going to hashtag it.
#cupcakeface.
Yep. I feel better now.
It’s not so much the cupcake goop as it is the feigned innocence in his eyes!
I hate when life gets heavy. I am sorry to read that
I do love the muffin flavor savor and the fact that you have a chia pet gnome!!!! 
It’s just the season we’re in.
A few more weeks and everything will be less anxiety-ridden, although a little more sleep deprived. And I cannot wait to set up the Chia Gnome! Just waiting for the sun to stick around.
He really is too cute to take those cupcakes away from
Aw, thanks. Not so much an hour later when the sugar kicks in.
Please don’t leave us for good, ok? This is the beginning of the hard part when transitioning and bringing a new life into the family. There is so much to do! So many to do lists and thoughts and insanity.
I am so sad to see you go! Just promise you won’t stop writing. Because I love this blog. I know I am terrible with commenting but I am here. Reading and loving what you have to say.
That cupcake face? Amazing. I love it.
I tried leaving blogging once and it sucked.
So I’m really not going anywhere, I just don’t want Greta to be depending on me and me flake out with all that’s going on. It’s hard to keep up with reading and commenting and I hate to ever let anyone down by not reciprocating, which is something I feel I do too often lately.
I hope after the baby arrives that I can clean up this blog and take it to a different level, breathe some life into it again. Right now it’s just sitting in the corner like a neglected puppy or something.
Thank you so much for reading and “getting” me. It means a lot, and goes a long way in giving me a foundation of confidence when things are rocky.
We’ll miss you around here but you’ll have your hands double full very soon so I can totally understand. And that face is too cute… chocolate smears and all!
I hope that I adjust to the new normal quickly, and that you guys will let me sit at your table in the cafeteria again one day soon.
Busted and innocent and so cute! :>
Plates fill up, life hands that not always welcome R(esponsibility) word, and sometimes something has to give. Hope chocolate faces make it better and there was a li’l left for you!
haha. yup that totally notice that shiz. kick you when you’re down–so to speak. he really is a cutie patootie. adorable! i’m excited and honored to be stepping into you ippp shoes. thanks for the opportunity julie
Thanks, Sarah! You guys have fun!
How cute is he?!? And just to think – soon you’ll have two cute ones!
I’ll be seeing you around! You chose wisely with Sarah – and I’m not gonna say I miss you because I’ll be stalking you on Facebook and Twitter
xo
I will be SO outnumbered.
And I’ll be around, for sure. Lots of baby pics on FB, probably. I’m THAT mom.
Aw, he looks so cute. Last night we were all hanging out and completely forgot that Brinky wa s up (past his bedtime) so we were in the kitchen and I said, “Wait, where’s Brinky? I forgot he was up.” We found him standing on the not very stable chair in my husband’s office with three pieces of gum in his mouth. But he sure looked cute
I’ll miss you for #iPPP, but glad you’ll still be around. Pregnant life with a toddler can be hard enough without extra things to keep up with, so I totally get it, and I hope everything’s okay!
Haha, he was all, “The benefit of being the third kid is that they forget about me so GUM. AND MISCHIEF.”
And everything is just fine. I just want to make sure and keep it that way.
I’m really sad to see you go
But I get it. And you’ve got stuff coming up n’ stuff. xoxo
Major stuff. Dude.
I love that face! The eyes are very pleading…of course there is no punishment! I cant wait to be up there to help out where I can.. This will be so much fun! Of course I will only be there a few days and there is so much loving to get to carry me over until the summer so not much discipline. Monkey- Let the games begin! LOL Love ya!
If you come anywhere near this house with a box of candy canes I will thump you.
“Just singin a song”… Love it!
His excuses are suddenly very creative.
LOVE this little story! “Nuffin”…priceless!
Sometimes I ask him what he’s doing just to hear him say “nuffin.” It’s freaking adorable!
Oh GURL, I hope you can stlil linkup! But even if you don’t…I’m going to go ahead and put you in my inbox so I don’t forget to stop by..because you know..i’m a jerkl ike that. Hope you get things settled soon!! Just look in those eyes and see things aren’t so bad
Things aren’t bad at all! Just unpredictable and a little wild. I’ll be around, for sure.
I love how the times my kids expect me to flip out sometimes turn out to be the times I laugh like there’s no tomorrow. And seriously? Just singin’ a song, huh? Keep moving, nothinig to see here. Just a boy being a boy.
Exactly! My tendency to laugh at the most inopportune moments is really going to come in handy parenting little boys.
Singing a song! Lol that is pretty dang funny– I am sure more funny for you now after the fact
Once it’s cleaned up, the mess is always funny.
Oh I love catching the boys in the act! They act all innocent and everything
Their eyes get 100 times bigger.
Smart and cute. Such a winning combination!
I would have done the same thing while you were on the phone, btw… ha ha!
This is so freakin’ cute. Just so you know, I read your blog while I’m in class, doing exactly what you’ve told me not to do since 8th grade. It’s entertaining what can I say.
Hahah. Funny that you comment on the cupcake post.
Maybe the fact that it’s cupcakes and monkey being absolutely adorable? Both a win.