Play Dates Are Like Transformers

Play Dates: More Than Meets The Eye

(Get it.. Tranformers, Play Dates.. More Than, oh Nevermind.)

On the heels of a weekend that had a really great Play Date, I am reflecting on play dates as a whole. They really are tricky beasts that can make or break a friendship.  There is a lot more involved in a play date than just getting kids together to play.  It is easy to unwittingly commit unforgivable faux pas. Play dates can be a Godsend to a stay at home mom. Or they can just be a disaster.

Usually, there are two types of play dates:  the play dates that are really for the parents and the play dates that are really for the kids.   In the first type, you get to the play date, the kids scamper off, and the grown ups sit around and snack and chat.  Pretty basic.  The second type is for the kids. Be prepared to sit on the floor with the children, or take them someplace like a playground, park, museum, etc.  

In any case, I have learned a few things about play dates over the years.  

1. Play dates highlight personality traits in your grown up friends that you may not have noticed otherwise.  You might discover your friend is a helicopter parent and by comparison makes you feel neglectful.  You know those moms.. the ones that are at the ready before their kid even sneezes to give them a tissue. Or, they might freak out if their angel skins their knee. What about those moms that are too blase when their kid hits yours? I personally love the other parents that parent my children with me sitting right there.  Once, someone told my child not to touch something that actually belonged to ME. I said it was ok. The other mom actually got up and scolded my child again and took the item from my child. Which led to an uncomfortable discussion where, after I handed my confused and upset child back the item, I gently explained that I wanted my child to respect and listen to the other adult. But if they wanted to reprimand my child in front of me and I had to overrule them like that in front of my child in the future, it would be really hard for my child to develop and maintain a healthy respect for that adult.  Yeah. Unpleasant, right?  
2. It is very very easy to commit play date faux pas. Baked cookies as a nice treat? Uh Oh! Didn't you know that would label you as a junk foodie who can't be trusted with a child's nutritional needs?! Yep. Some parents limit sweets. These parents will actually turn down play dates with you sometimes if they don't want their kid exposed to chocolate. Nevermind your kids eat broccoli and love it and ask for water to drink.. You are forever branded as the junk food mom. Also, didn't you realize this kid had food allergies? Oops again.  OR, what if.. you put a kids' movie on? A nice Disney classic. How about Princess and the Frog? WHOA! Play date sin, extraordinaire!  Some parents view play dates as more about the kids and that the kids did not get together so they could sit on the couch lazily together. Personally, if the kids are happy and quiet and you can get a good conversation in, I call it fine sometimes to have a movie play date... Other moms, not so much. Now you are also branded as the junk tv mom. Nevermind your 5 yr old reads on a 5th grade level and can do math. Another problem with this is that some moms are even offended by certain subject matter in rated G cartoons. I convinced a mom friend to buy Princess and the Frog when it came out on DVD. I showed her how to work a great coupon deal to get paid to own this movie. She hadn't seen it yet, but thought "Get paid $1 to own a Disney movie on DVD? Sign me up!"  She got the movie home, watched it, and decreed the Voodoo man scenes too dark and against her beliefs.  Now, I am branded as "that mom".  Oops.  At least she got paid to own it, right??
3. If you want to be invited back, you must leave things in as good a condition or better than you got to the play date.  I learned this one when I spent HOURS cleaning my house to get it ready for a play date. Within ten minutes of these two kids arriving, my whole house was TRASHED. These kids dumped every toy we own out.  Then, their mom said it was time to leave. And they did. With every toy in my house dumped out. Do you think they wanted another invite?  
4. Bringing a happy or a treat (IF YOU KNOW IN ADVANCE TREATS ARE ALLOWED!!) to a play date gets you bonus points.  As in, if your always calm child has a moment and slaps another kid, and you act contrite about it, you may or may not get invited back. BUT, if you brought coloring books and stickers to leave behind, you might get invited back again in like 6 months.  Really, at the point I am where I have 3 kids that want to snack on a play date, I always try to bring something. I don't think the burden should be on the other mom to feed  all of my kids.  and SHARE what you bring!
5. Play dates are embarassing. Like when your child walks into the living room stark naked. Or when your friend's child walks into the bathroom and proclaims that someone forgot to flush their poo. And we all love a good heart stopping "where's my child" moment.. you know.. when one of your kids escapes the house and is found wandering in your friends large unfenced backyard... OOH! The BEST one happened to me a year and a half ago. One of my kids escaped my friend's house on a cold winter day and was found NAKED wandering the backyard. I had to chase that little demon, angel I mean, back and forth while they giggled and ran all over the yard NAKED. Come to think of it, we haven't been invited back to that house for a play date...

There is just so much more to a simple play date than you might realize at the onset.  These can be stressful events. And awkward ones. Kids are unpredictable. Often, grown ups can be unpredictable in how they relate to their kids, or even yours. And, nothing can tick your friend off faster than a perceived slight about their child. 

Accidents happen on a play date. Embarrassing things happen on a play date. Play dates can be very interesting and enlightening. And believe me, despite your best intentions, you are going to commit a faux pas. Or you child will.

The moral of this rambling post is that if you find folks that you are compatible with on a play date, you better hold on tight that relationship.  Being friends is one thing. Being able to relax and gel on a play date is just another thing altogether. 

Oh, and safety pin your kids' clothes to them.

A Gift From the Heart, From My 5 Yr Old, to My Almost 3 Yr Old

The Countdown to the Big Princess and The Frog 

Birthday Party has Started.

And Sister Knows What Gift She Wants to Give

The other day I was at the Outlet Mall. I noticed that Disney was having an additional 25% off clearance items sale.  Knowing that my 5 yr old hasn't yet picked out a gift to give her sister on Friday at the big birthday party, I stopped in to see if they had any Princess and the Frog items on clearance.  And, super woot! They did. They had a Prince Naveen Frog Plush for about $4 (Down from $16!). So, I got that, got a clearanced reusable bag to use as gift bag for 74 cents, and then went looking for the perfect finishing touch.  I found that at Harry and David's: Gummi Frogs!! (about $2)

I came home really excited.  Usually, my 5 yr old has gummies on the brain. I thought I could take her in the back and talk to her about what type of gift she wants to get for her little sister.  I just knew I could lead her down the path to say "something Princess and the Frog and some gummies."

No such luck.

Me: Have you thought about what you want to give your sister on her birthday? 

Precocious: Yes, I already gave her her gift.

Me: Oh?

Precocious: Yep. I gave her the nice Mario tag off my new rolling Mario Backpack

Me: The price tag with the picture of Mario on it??

Precocious: Yep, that's the one!

Me: I don't think that will fly as an actual gift. Trash is not a gift.

Precocious: Oh. It's not? Oh. Ok. 

Me: Can you think of anything she might like? What is her birthday about? What do you like to get on your birthday? Can you think of a gift like that?

Precocious:  Oh, I know! I will give her my love.

This child is a lost cause at this point. So, I give up.

Me: Ok. How about this. You are giving your sister this plush frog, these gummies, and this neat gift bag. What do you think of that?

Precocious: Perfect. Thanks, Mom. Can I go play video games now? 

Eye Roll.

Watch Out, The 2 Yr Old Holds Grudges... and Remembers EVERYTHING!

My 2 Yr Old is Passionate and Has a Memory Like an Elephant.

This Has its Disadvantages Sometimes...

This past week meaningless cuteness has abounded. There really was not a good "thing" to blog about. I can describe smiles and odd behaviors, but sometimes that special "something" gets lost in the translation into written word.  My 2-yr old, while calling to wish her Granny a Happy Birthday, supplied the subject for this post.

See, my middlest has a really great, detailed memory.  AND, she is fiercely loving, or just fierce, depending on the situation. She is a rough and tumble kind of girl in pearls and a dress. And, she has a ewwy gooey heart under it all. She can punch like a boy, but is all soft and vulnerable like a girl.  Poor little oxymoron.. 

The whole memory thing just makes it all so much more vivid.  For example, every day she has to talk about our beloved dog whom she misses "whole lot". Every day. She is "sad, Mommy. Cuz I miss our favorite doggy whole lot."  This is the dog we gave to a family with a nice farm almost a year ago. We had the dog for almost two years. The reasons for giving our little love bug of a dog away are complex. AND, the family she went to had a rescued dog that needed a gentle playmate for rehab purposes. They are a good match and we get pictures from time to time still.. and still.. my almost 3 yr old misses her "whole lot."

Then, there was the day about a week ago when my husband and I and the 2 yr old had a miscommunication over an Oreo.  She asked me if she could get an Oreo out of the fridge (YES the Fridge). I said yes. My husband missed the whole exchange and saw a presumptuous preschooler getting a cookie "without asking." He chastised her and took the cookie away. And promptly broke her heart. She cried and screamed these heart wrenching screams. She started to try and tell him I said it was ok, but her little voice was hitching and breaking.  Finally, I realized what was going on and scooped her up and told my husband I had given permission.  He apologized profusely to her and hugged and loved on her and even gave her an extra cookie. It was over and done with.

Until today. Out of the blue, as my husband leaves the house for work this morning, the 2 yr old tells him "I so mad at you! You took my cookie! You so sorry! I give you (forgive). I love you and I like you and I miss you at work."

Yeah. Mind like a steel trap.

BUT WAIT, didn't I say something about my Mother In Law's bday today? Yes. The 2 yr old called her Granny to say Happy Birthday. Only, the conversation went something like this:

"Hi, honey! I am so happy to hear from you today!"

"Hi Ganny. I so mad at you."

"Oh??! Why?"

"Cuz you turned into that mean monkey on Mario (64) and BIT me! You BIT me Ganny! I so scared. You turned into a monkey!!!"

"Oh my! I am so sorry! I won't turn into a monkey and bite you again."

"Ok. I give you. You so sorry you are a monkey that bite me.   OH. Ganny? Happy Birday. I love you." 

See, this is really funny. Because my middlest had a bad dream MONTHS ago that her Granny turned into the mischievous monkey  on Mario 64 that steals Mario's hat. Only, this time, the monkey, Granny, bit my daughter.  This was during a period when the eldest was obsessed with Mario 64 and played it all the time.  So much so that it gave her little sister nightmares.  The problem is in how the dream was handled. Like this time, Granny was bemused and just went along with it and apologized for turning into a monkey and biting my child the last time months ago that my child confronted Granny about this shape-shifting and biting behavior. We all know Granny didn't really do that. AND, we all got a good laugh at my child's earnestness in the dream. Only, by apologizing, Granny inadvertently legitimatized the dream and made it a part of my child's every day reality.  Now, my 2 yr old is holding that memory.. and a grudge.  

I am so sure we will continue to laugh about this for years to come. Poor Ganny has some making up to do now though. Because the two year old is PISSED that her Granny became a monkey one night months ago and bit her.. on the finger. And yes, she will to this day show you just which finger Ganny bit her on.

Fool Me Once...You're Never Gonna Fool Me Again.. Well...

Cinnamon Heart Gummies Are for the Husband

NOT for the Forgetful Baby

I bought cinnamon heart gummies for Valentine's Day for my husband.  These are gourmet ones from Harry and David and have a nice little hot kick to them.  

This morning I am sitting at the counter, working on my blogs, and the baby is in my lap.  She is causing all kinds of mayhem... typing on the computer, trying to grab my coffee, tearing bills up, etc.  I keep saying no and handing her something else.  All of a sudden, she spots the cinnamon gummies. They are heart shaped and red. So, of course, she thinks they are for her. I sigh and say to myself, "well... why not.." and I let her grab one.  

The reaction is quite priceless.  The first chew or two is pleasantly sweet. Then, the heat kicks in. She frowns, hacks, and spits it out. Sticky red goo everywhere. Then, she gulps some water.  I figure a lesson in not meddling is learned for now. 

Wrong. She settles back in my lap and exclaims "ah back! ah it back!" (Give it back) and reaches her greedy hand back towards the heart gummies. I remind her that is not a path she wants to go down. So, she starts growling at me.

So, I hand her another gummie. She fusses and hacks and hates them again... 

You get the idea. She has been trying to repeat the pattern all morning. I stopped giving them to her. And she will fuss. Then, I scold her. Then, she gets repentant and kisses me (are-we   "sorry").  Then, she sees the gummies again. And it all starts all over.  

What is that saying? "Fool me once.. shame on you... fool me twice, you're never gonna fool me again??"  See how well that version worked out for George W.. I think the baby is likewise confused. 

An Important Distinction

Out of the Mouths of Babes:

A Mini Post For Valentine's Day

My soon to be three-year old is in THAT stage: Tantrum and Tears after Tantrum and Tears.  Everything sets her off. "The baby threw her wipes in the trash."  "I want to watch Word Girl but Martha Speaks came on."  "I don't like meatloaf.. (but we are having chicken nuggets) I KNOW! But I DON'T LIKE MEATLOAF!"

So, when she decides to flip her switch the other way and be sweet, it is a welcome relief.  And, this girl is very sweet.  She is very smart, too. Much smarter than she even realizes.  

Today, I picked her up and she said, "I love you Mommy. I love you AND I like you."

You know what? That is an important distinction to make.  I know she loves me. We are family. We all love each other in this house. BUT, she also LIKES me.  That is almost more touching to me.  Crazy little heart  melter!

*Maybe she does know how smart she is. After all, during a tantrum, she will yell "I hate YOU (pause pause pause) telling me NO!"  Because she knows there is major heck to pay if she tells any of us she hates us.... 

Ah, I love that passionate girl!

HOLY CRAP!

This is Getting Supooplerous.

So, the baby walked up to me, hands outstretched a few minutes ago. I was like WTF?! How in the WORLD did she get into the Keebler Fudge Cookies I keep in the fridge? (Yes, I keep our cookies in the fridge. For kid and ant control.)

She had fudge ALL OVER HER HANDS AND TUMMY.  See, she just perfected this new skill.. you know.. taking all her clothes off. It is great. 

Only, it wasn't FUDGE. And it didn't smell like cookies. 

Yes, my friends. She pooped, stripped down to her diaper, then plunged her hands in the back of her diaper to investigate and paint herself. All in the manner the about 3 minutes it took me to go pee real quick like.  

Is this better than pooping on my hallway floor or in the tub? I really don't think so. Nope. I don't think so at all. 

Now, all the kids are having a bubble bath.  Don't worry, I cleaned the baby up before putting them in the tub. AND I have thoroughly Lysoled and scrubbed myself. AND I have gone all over the living room smelling the furniture and such just in case the finger painting was not limited to her body.

Where is MR MOM??!?!!?!! I wanna trade!

Who Let the Monkey in the Back Seat?

Today's Car Ride to the Grocery Store:

From Burger King to Bananas

Today was a bit of a hectic sort of day. Everyone at home is sick to some degree. I, myself, slept in until 8 AM and had to force myself out of bed. Surprisingly, I discovered that my husband called in sick to work today so that I could sleep in a little and he could take it easy and try to get over his cold.

Sick or not, we still had to eat and bathe and such, so I still had to go make the weekly run to the market.  After deciding on a divide and conquer scenario for the shopping trip, I loaded the 2-yr old in my car and left the other girls at home with Daddy.  Since I coupon, my shopping trips take about 3 hours, door to door.  In order to maintain my sanity, I went through a drive-thru to get the little hungry 2-yr old a burger.  (Actually, the girl can eat, so I got her a $1 double burger.)

I carefully peeled back the wrapper just so and handed the burger back to her, and off I drove, down the street to get on the interstate. 

Things were quiet for a few minutes... about ten.. then, I started hearing some ooh ooh ah ah sounds. I peeked in the rear-view mirror and saw my little girl quietly making sounds to herself. She would "ooh ooh, ah ah" down at her burger in her hands. She would "ooh ooh, ah ah" at the window. Finally, she "ooh ooh, ah ah" at the front seat and caught me glancing at her.

She smiled.  "I a MONKEY, mama!"  Then, she "ooh ooh, ah ah" at me.  I found it charming and was trying to piece together her little train of thought that made her make monkey sounds in my backseat just out of the blue.

Then, she says, "This is my banana, see?" She proceeded to demonstrate peeling the burger wrapper down away from part of the burger and then taking a quick bite like she was a monkey peeling a banana.

Ah, I love how the brain of a 2 yr old works! So magical. And, a constant source of amusement. 

Ooh Ooh, Ah Ah indeed. 

I Call Shenanigans and Demand a ReCount

This Has to Be a Hanging Chad Issue.

A Post on the Best Sister Ever Requirements Bias.

This has been one of those prolific days for posts for the blog. Which is nice, because I plan to take the weekend off from the computer.  But this was too cute.

The 5 yr old was playing her 30 minutes of Mario. (Mario Galaxy for the Wii, to be exact. And, yes, she is better at the game than I am.)  Her 2 yr old sister was sitting on the couch just watching the video game.  The baby was in her bed for naptime.

So, I walk by and notice how patient and calm the 2 yr old is being. It occurs to me that she is always patient for a turn at Mario when she watches Big Sister play. I remark, "That is one good sister you have there." 

The 5 yr old turns to me and says, "I know. She's the BEST SISTER I have!"

I said, "Well, you have another sister."

"I know. The baby is the worst sister I have ever had."

I am a bit perplexed by this because she is loving, helpful, and protective of the baby.  "Well. Why is she the best sister, and the baby is the worst?" I am pretty curious at this point.

"Well. The baby is a biter and bit my sister today."

Oh. Of COURSE! Makes total sense, right? Only not so much. The two year old is infamous for biting (we are working on it). 

"Really? But both of your sisters bite."

"I know. But the baby pinches too."

Oh. Ok.  I still don't get it. At this point a mom can only smile and nod. Of course. Yes, honey. Let's forget all the scuffles the older two have had.

I still am in the dark as to what makes one a favored sister over the other. 

*As I make this post, the two-year old has whacked the five-year old over the head a few times with an empty laundry basket. Big sister reacted by saying "If you say you are sorry and give me a kiss, I will give you a dollar out of my Mario wallet for you to put in your monies to buy your GO GO dog."

Best Sister of the Year Award Goes to the Two-Year Old? I don't fully get that one!

We Don't Have Cable, So Why Am I Facing a Birds and the Bees Talk with My 5 Yr Old

Or, Why I Am Thankful To Parents Magazine

A while back, I read an article about how to have the "birds and the bees" talk with your child. It broke the sex talk and how to handle it into age appropriate sections. I remember being slightly horrified that I would have to have this talk 3 times. I was also immensely glad that I would not have to have this talk for a very, very long time. I had time to prepare. Nevertheless, I read the article and tried to remember it.

Boy, Howdy am I glad!  

The other day I was really busy doing housework. I left the kids in the living room with PBS cartoons and went about my chores.  At the end of the afternoon, I sat down with the kids to look at books and such with them.  

My 5-yr old, out of the blue, starts asking me all these questions about Sperms and what do I know about them. I start to sweat bullets. I ask her what does she mean. She says, "You know! Those swimming things. Sperms."  Calmly, I am trying to have a non-reaction and am skimming my memory for that article about the talk. I am wondering what information to give her.  

We try to be direct and calm with our kids. They call their parts by the technical terms. They don't giggle or smirk. It is what it is. We are just calmly straight forward. But, even so, this is heavy stuff for a 5 yr old. Even one that reads on a fifth grade level.  

Suddenly! I remember the article said to answer a question like this of a young child with other questions to see what they know and exactly what they are asking. I remember there was an example of a school-aged child asking about sex, but meaning Male or Female on a form from school... SO, I ask a question or two.

And laugh sooo very hard with relief.

The Wild Kratts Animal Show on PBS Kids had featured SPERM WHALES that day. 

OF COURSE! And, Duh.  Lesson learned about being too busy dusting and vacuuming to pay attention to my kids' shows. Even if they are PBS, Public Access.  

Two Year Olds Have Fancy Math

Fun With Numbers

My husband accuses me of engaging in what he calls "fancy math."  Like, when I go to CVS and buy him some Listerine. I will come home and say, "Hey! Listerine was on sale today. It was $3, but after I paid, I got $3 in Extra Bucks back, so it was like FREE!"  He says, "No, it wasn't like free at all. You paid $3.  Next time you go to CVS, you will get $3 off a different item, and that will be FREE. I am on to you and your fancy math. I know you, you will claim the Listerine as FREE and then go use the $3 off on the next trip and claim that item FREE too..."

So, is it any wonder that the two-year old gets a little confused? 

The other day she came in and asked for a snack. I said, "It isn't snack time yet." She left the room. She came back a minute later.  "Is it 39 yet, Mommy? I am hungry!" Because, apparently, 39 is the new snack time.

Then, I handed her a marshmallow yesterday. She reached out her empty hand and says, "How about 8,9, 11 more?" I gave her two more. She ran off very happy.  

My five-year old just laughs at the two-year old and walks off shaking her head.  My five-year old is really sharp with the number thing. She adds, subtracts, divides, and keeps me on track with our posted schedule. She will go look at the schedule and say "Oh! Mom! It is time for you to be done on the computer and doing laundry or chores now! See??!"  Such a good little helper!....

For now, the two-year old's fancy math is keeping things very interesting and humorous around here.. for the most part. It causes some troubles from time to time. Like when she gets a nickel or a quarter for helping with a chore. She is saving her "monies" so she can buy a Go-Go Walking Dog like big sister bought herself with her birthday money several months ago.  The fancy math gets us all into trouble because we will hand the two-year old a nickel. Her eyes will get big as saucers and light up. Then, she will exclaim, "NOW I HAVE MONIES! I CAN GO GET GO-GO!!"  Then, there is the inevitable tear fest as we try to explain why one nickel does not $50 make.  Sigh.  

I have known parents who count out of order during games of hide and seek with their children.. It speeds the tedious game up a bit when you do that, or so I hear. But then, I hear the children of said adults going around counting, "1, 2, 3, 14, 18, 36, 42, 50, 11!"  

At least I am not teaching them fancy math on purpose!  That counts, right? (see what I did there? hahaa.. counts...haha)

Another Day in Paradise

Or, I Thought Having to Bathe the Kids 3 Times On Monday Meant the Next Two Days had to be Easy Peasy.. Right? Wrong.

This Post is to be split into little tidbit sections.. You know, for maximum absorption and enjoyment. You're Welcome.

1. Dear Baby,   There is NO TREASURE IN THE TRASH. I am sorry. There isn't. Also, the trash can is not as magical or mystical as you may believe. Things you want to replace, hide, or get rid of don't magically get taken care of when you plop them into the garbage. It is not the best place to keep the tv remote. It is not the place to hide your brand new pack of expensive baby wipes because you don't want to have your nasty butt changed. (She gets rashes when I use off brand).  It is not the place to put your sippy cup when it is empty and you are wanting a refill. And, I do not actually appreciate your help when you take your clean diaper off and throw it away. Don't say "Yay" and clap. While you are at it, please quit putting your hands down the backside of your diaper. Given your proclivity towards certain body functions, I dread finding a special kind of finger paint on my walls one day.  
2. Dear Almost 3 Year Old, Thanks so very much for not vomitting on me today. It was lovely how you managed to hold off long enough for Daddy to run in and get you a throw up bowl while I sat next to you with a cardboard Happy Meal box (full of chicken nuggets, fries, and apples I was trying to tempt her to eat) in front of your face. I figured it was better for you to puke on the dinner you weren't going to eat anyway than to get it all over my shirt as you usually manage to do during one of these spells... Anyway, thanks again! 
3. Dear 5 Year Old, It was so sweet of you to tell your sick sister you would be her servant all day today. Whatever she wanted, you would fetch for her. Then, when she said she really wanted her Tramp stuffed dog, it was really swell of you to offer her Minnie Mouse as a substitute.. you know.. because you didn't feel like looking for her Tramp dog. The thought was there though, and I know your sister appreciated it.

 So, I guess out of the many lessons learned today, my big one was that just because you give your kids 3 baths one day, does not mean you get any "get out of bathing the kids for 3 days" cards. And, yes, there was tons of laundry to be done today as well.
 

Pasta Power!

My 5-Yr Old is Obsessed with Mario

Almost a year ago, I found these adorable jean over-alls, OshKosh don't you know!, on clearance for $3.48. I bought them for my now 5-yr old. I thought she would think they were pretty. They have small embroidered flowers on them. At the very least, I knew she would wear them whenever I put them out for her, because she is my easy child and wears whatever I ask her to wear. No such luck with these. She wore them for 5 minutes and declared she would not wear them any longer, not ever again.

Until......

About 4 months ago, this same daughter developed a fixation with Mario. See, my 5 yr old is not your typical 5 yr old. She can read on an almost 5th grade level. She can add, subtract, divide, and tell you about the universe and name the dinosaurs.  She is very sharp. AND, she likes "kid stuff" but doesn't really get too into it. Then, one day, while Daddy was playing Wii, she discovered Mario and has never looked back.

She watches the Mario show on Netflix. She plays Old School Nintendo Mario, and she plays Mario Wii games like Galaxy, Smash Brothers, etc.  She reads books on the history of Mario. She listens to Mario cds of the soundtracks and sound bits from the games and can tell you what game, what level, what effect you are listening to.  She got some birthday money and went and bought the cutest pink rolling Mario backpack. Mario, Mario, Mario. She even begs for the Mario gummies at Walmart, and dreams that she, Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, and even Bowser are all BFFs.   

Well, guess what Mario wears... Yep. Overalls! Now that my daughter wants to dress like Mario, these OshKosh overalls get worn as fast as they get washed. I have to beg her to wear a different outfit some days.  Because on Mondays, we have to wear the overalls with a red shirt and hat so we can be Mario. Tuesday is a green shirt and hat so we can be Luigi.  Wednesday is a white shirt with pink flowers on it so we can be "Fire Mario."  Thursday we didn't wear our overalls or a hat. We were "Blue Mario." ("He's just a mirror of Mario, Mom.") Ok....  

At least the overalls are getting worn right?

*The two-year old wants in on this fascination.  She puts this lovely pink dress up costume on and proclaims herself to be Princess Peach.  I think I will institute a No Mario Monday rule.