Pumpkin Friend

The Nugget brought home a new pumpkin friend from the Fall Festival. Pumpkins hold a very treasured spot in his heart so instead of using it to decorate our porch, pumpkin friend will become part of our family until it rots. I set pumpkin friend on the back of the couch, peering out the window, so it would greet the Nugget upon our arrival back home in the evening. The Nugget couldn't wait to get home to his orange buddy,

N: Pumpkin is waiting for me. Pumpkin is looking out window, saying, "Where's Nugget?"

Daddy: Is pumpkin a girl or a boy? (the Nugget decides most of his plushies are girls)

N: Hmm, he's a boy. He's probably strong. And plenty heavy. And handsome.

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While watching college football on tv, I started teaching him some basic points of the game. We cheer when our players make it to the stripey part of the field or kick the ball through the yellow sticks. When our players drop it or make a mistake, we say, "Nice try!" The Nugget, formerly uninterested in football, started watching with greater intensity once he understood what was going on. He was especially thrilled to see the coach and some of the players pick up a phone or headset and exclaimed each time, "He's calling Grammy!"

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The Nugget has several go-to phrases when he doesn't quite understand what's happening, yet wants to appear confident.

"Are you doing that?"

"Mommy is doing something."

"Look, I am doing that."