For Pete's Sake

This is Pete. He arrived yesterday to spend the week with our family. This may be my last post for awhile, because along with a large paper due this week, I must also journal Anna's adventures with Pete. Every kindergartner in Anna's class gets a week with Pete the Penguin, the class mascot. The journal is chock full of industrious parents' efforts, and of course Anna has read every entry complete with photos. In other words, I am not getting off the hook with half-hearted effort.

Anna is beyond excited about Pete's presence at our house. She thrust Pete on all of last night, bugging us about "What are we going to do with Pete now?" There are photos of Pete at Bed Bath and Beyond and playing "Go Fish" from yesterday that did not turn out so well. Anna was insisting that photos be taken of everything she did with Pete. Pete had a place at the table, in her bed, etc. There have been many polls taken, such as, "If you think Pete is adorable, raise your hand!"

Jeff reported that on the way to Bed Bath and Beyond (yep, that was a Jeff errand. He needed a new food scale...) Anna asked if he likes Pete the Penguin. Jeff responded that he didn't know him very well yet. Anna said she was certain Pete would like her dad. And her mom. And Biscuit. She did not think, however, that Pete likes Molly, "because Pete senses that Molly does not like him so well." In fact, as soon as Dad, Anna, and Pete left Molly hissed, "I'm sick of that Pete already and it's the first day!"

I did raise my hand in favor of Pete being adorable, but Pete kind of grosses me out. This is mid-November, so Pete has visited at least 8 other children. Which means he slept in their beds as their noses dripped away, sat at their dinner tables while they spilled stuff on him. He must have been coughed on countless times, dropped in puddles, whatever. Ew. I try not to think about it. I also forsee that Anna will not want to go to school the day she has to return Pete.


It was actually a nice morning, so after ice-skating lessons (photo #1) we played at the park (photo #2). We had tuna sandwiches for lunch because Pete likes fish, and took Pete on Biscuit's walk. No photos - lunch and walking Biscuit require my full attention and both hands. Pete is not allowed at school, so it was a teary send-off when the bus came. I promised I would tuck Pete in for a nap. Somewhere high. Because Biscuit not only thinks Anna's bed is also one of his beds, he is pretty sure Pete is a chew toy.

Maybe you'll hear more about our adventures with Pete, just so you too can experience the joy. And I would like to thank Molly, who despite her not-so-smooth relationship with Pete has agreed to let us use her camera for photo journaling.