not so 'effing cute'

Today, my mom and dad took Amado to this kid science center thing in Balboa Park. I sat in the sun and did work for 3 hours while they ran around together, learning about gravity and nuetrons and other things I am not particularly up on myself. Anyways, at one point, this little girl was wheeled by in her stroller pushed by her two parents (i assume). She was a little younger than Amado, probably 2 and a half. And these people (i assume) had put her in this awful shirt. It was pink with ruffled sleeves and said "i'm so effing cute". Im not sparing you the profanity - thats actually what the shirt said.

effing cute.

Now, I'm not shocked by profanity. Its not like I am profanity averse. A good profane word comes in handy here and there. And lord knows, I utter profanities to myself on a daily basis as I manuevre my brown skin all over the UC Berkeley campus. But anyways, this shirt!

I mean, one - praising a little girl for being cute by putting it on her t-shirt makes me feel yucky. Its like, society does not need another reason to look at her and just see thats she's cute and nothing else - not that she shares well or kicks strong or sings with all her heart. Nah, my kid, she's cute. Effing cute, as a matter of fact.

Second, "effing" cute? come on. Its not clever, its not witty, its not funny, its just kind of inappropriate. If she repeated that, would it be cool? "Hey dad, this egg you scrambled for me is effing nasty". That would not be funny at my house.

todos somos lideres

Amado really has an affinity with Cesar Chavez. I think I shared with many of you a few months back that I was at his school for my parent shift and his teacher was reading a book to them about Cesar Chavez because the weeks theme was on leaders.

She pulled out the book and Amado rose to his feet and YELLED "Cesar Chavez dice si se puede en palestina!" (he combined two chants).

The other day, Jason and Amado were looking for a recipe on food network.com and Amado was looking over Jason's shoulder. The recipe Jason clicked on was from Emeril. And Amado yelled "oh! es Cesar Chavez!". Cant say I see the resemblance but I like the effort.

Last thing, not on Cesar Chavez, but on Si se puede. I showed Amado the Obama "Yes We Can" video the other day. He likes Obama and even knows a catchy little Obama jingle. Anyways, once I told him that "Yes We Can" means "Si Se Puede", Obama's popularity skyrocketed with this little guy. So we are talking about Obama, and I start explaining how Obama is an organizer, and he's Black, and he is running for president. Amado is captivated. So I say to him "Obama es un lider". And Amado replies to me "todos somos lideres, mami".

looking out for me

On Mondays Im with Amado all day and then Jason comes home and I leave to go do work and school stuff. So, this Monday, I was gathering my stuff up to leave. Amado and Jason were side-by-side cooking dinner in the kitchen. I went in to give kisses goodbye and Amado says to me:

Mami, si tu necesitas algo, podemos venir, okay?

I felt that was so sweet, totally unprompted, totally unnecessary. He just wanted me to know he is here if I need him, him and his papi.

Gracias, mijo, I said.

Then he said, :Si tu necesitas algo, llamanos, okay mami? okay?"

policia

we're in Puerto Rico for the holidays. Last night, We were at a big plaza for a celebration for Dia de los Reyes. There were hundreds of people so there were cops around. Amado got a special treat that night - helado. So he is sitting there with his helado de coco and this policeman walks by. He doesnt even look at Amado but for some reason, Amado feels the need to warn him so he yells: "Policia! No comas me helado! Es mi helado! Tu no lo puedes comer!!"

family ties

We're down at my mom and dad's for Christmas. Amado was playing hide and seek in the hall closet - really him hiding and wanting us to go open the closet and act very surprised to find him in there.

So, this game was getting a little tiring, so at one point, I tried to go and hide with him. He barred me from entering the closet. He said "no, mami, tu no puedes entrar. este es mi casa".

So naturally, I replied, with shock "pero, yo soy tu mami!" as my reason for why it was inconceivable that I would be barred from his house.

To which he replied, "no mami. yo soy un senor que tu no conoces".

hasta Mexico

Every morning, Amado wants me to get out of bed before I want to get out of bed. Every morning, I tell him that I cannot move until I get my 'beso and abrazo de buenos dias'.

A couple days ago, we went through this routine but I only got my abrazo, no beso.

"Hey, donde esta mi beso?" I asked.

"Esta afuera. Volando hasta Mexico" said Amado.

sonando

I napped with Amado yesterday because I was feeling like I was coming down with a cold. It was cold, so we cuddled up together in the big bed and fell asleep for almost 2.5 hours. It was heaven, his little warm head pressed against my neck.

I woke up before him but knew he would feel me if I got out of bed so I just laid there for awhile. When I finally did get up, I had walked from one side of the bed to the other and he jolted awake, just like I thought.

He had clearly been in deep sleep. But as soon as his little eyes popped open, he said,
"Quisas tambien el perro queria ir a la iglesia. Quein sabe. Quisas si, quisas no".

I laid down next to him, and said, "mande, mijo?"

It seemed like at that moment he realized that what he has said made no sense in this context, because he turned to me all sleepy eyed and said, "sonaste tambien, mami?"