Semi-wordless Wednesday

 

 

Baby Boy Shoup (not yet named) due end of December 2013.  He's already measuring and weighing ahead of his gestational age, so we'll see when he REALLY arrives (big sister was two weeks early).

Big sister, KIC, is thrilled!

 

Easter Egg Roll 2013 Redux

I had the privilege of working the 2013 White House Easter Egg roll for the second year in a row.  In the morning, I had the distinction and honor of escorting the White House Easter bunnies to their various media appearances.  And I do mean various.  From Al Roker to all the local channels, everyone wants face time with the bunnies.  And why not??  They are downright adorable!

This year started out on a foggy/chilly note. 

Washington Monument in the Mist

 



 

The bunnies' first appeareance was with Al Roker at 6 am.  I guess Al does weather with the Weather Channel too, before the Today show.

 

It's Al Roker, I promise!

 

 

While I definitely appreciate Al Roker and his dedication to giving us entertainment with our weather, I was beyond excited about my first celebrity sighting of the morning.

 

Assemble the minions!!!!!  Note the super cute and super not weather appropriate outfit!

 

I was in charge of escorting the bunny known as Junior Bunny in the morning.  This guy was FULL of shenanigans.  And possibly encouraged by his handler.  A little.  I can neither confirm nor deny.

 

 Bad bunny!!!!

Austin Mahone with the Bunny

The bunny tried to fight Slapshot!!!

We found out later, we had the wrong bunny head with the costume.  I think he looks fetching with Mama Bunny's head and Junior Bunny's body.  Looks like my hopes for a career as a costume character stylist at Disney are shot.

 

Once the morning round of media appearances were complete, the bunnies were off for meet and greets with their adoring public.  On more than one occasion, they were photobombed by Nickelodeon characters, but the bunnies and handlers dealt with it gracefully.  Nobody is claiming credit for tripping Bugs Bunny, but mess with the best, fall with the rest.  I'm just sayin'!

 

 

During the second shift, some really cool people came to visit!!

 

"Some day soon, I'll be President Kaitlyn!"

                                               Man, they let anybody into the White House!

Like Mother, like daughter!

 



Love Jordin's face in this picture!

 

That was the highlight of my day.  This was the highlight of their day.

 

President Obama reading "Chicka Boom Boom"





 First Lady Obama reading "Cloudy with a Side of Meatballs" and Malia and Sasha reading "Brown Bear".  Bo's in there too.  In this picture, the First Lady is telling Bo to stay off her white pants with his muddy paws.  #dogownerproblems

 

You would think that KIC, who LOVES President Barack Obama and still tells people that I used to live in the White House (it only felt like that) would have been thrilled to have him reading her a favorite book.  I was sitting in the back with Jordin and was not able to see what KIC was doing.  Thank goodness for the interwebs.

 

She's not even paying attention!!!!

 

Clearly, she would rather have been doing this:

We also managed to see Gordon, Elmo, Abby and Rosita from Sesame Street as well as some high flying tumblers from Chicago.  I saw them later and told them how awesome they were.  Incredible and KIC was riveted the whole time!  Each child attendant receives a wooden Easter egg when they leave and KIC and Jordin were lucky enough to get the coveted Bo egg!  This egg is only available if you buy the Easter Egg set, so we were thrilled with this.  Plus, KIC loves dogs (though she didn't want to pet Bo at all) so this egg was super appropriate.

 

After they left, I wrangled bunnies until the sun was almost setting into the sky.  It was such a magical day and so great to spend it with so many of my friends.  It was super neat to see the look of wonder on people's faces as they wandered on the lawn of the WHITE.HOUSE.ZOMG!  As long as the day is, I can't wait to do it again next year!  Suck it, sequestration!









Are we setting a precedent?

For those of you who read my Facebook statuses, it comes as no surprise that we have a new addition in the Shoup House. We branched out beyond dogs and cats and have included rodents in our menagerie. KIC had attached herself to one of our foster kitties who was beyond unsuitable for the long term. In desperation one day, I told KIC that if we could find the foster kitty (who shall remain nameless) a new home, that I would get her a hamster. She flatly declined and I left it alone, resigning myself that {name redacted} would be with us forever.

The time came and I was fairly insistent that {name redacted} get a chance to find a new home. KIC put up no fuss and came with me to take {name redacted} to Petsmart to increase her chances of finding a good home. I should have known something was percolating in KIC's significantly underestimated brain. As we were leaving the store, she turns to me and says "Can I get my hamster now, Mommy?" sonofa.... It didn't happen that day, but only because I wanted to find a hamster at one of our local shelters.

After a two week search, and being unable to find a hamster at any of our local shelters, I checked craigslist and found one, with cage, for $10. DH met the seller, gave her $10 and got the "goods" so to speak. While investigating, it turns out the poor thing had mites like nobody's business. DH was very patient and doused the little critter with anti-mite spray and changed out her mite infested bedding. To say the hamster was grateful for the attention and the efforts would be to tell a complete falsehood. I believe she drew blood more than once in the time spent hosing her down.

KIC met her and named her Princess Gypsy. Gypsy is probably accurate as she is feisty as all get out, but the Princess part is a COMPLETE misnomer. We explained that Princess Gypsy was sick and kind of grumpy because she was sick, so KIC couldn't handle Princess Gypsy because otherwise, Princess Gypsy might bite.

Princess Gypsy has since been declared mite free and has relocated to KIC's bedroom. KIC, for her part, is SUPER excited about this development and checking on Princess Gypsy is the first thing KIC does in the morning. Princess Gypsy, being no fool, puts on a very good show for KIC, causing KIC to proclaim "Princess Gypsy LOVES ME, right?!?!" You're thinking, awww, that's so sweet, except, with the very next breath, KIC says "But I can't handle her, because she might bite me, but she loves me." While there's a life lesson in there somewhere, I'm hoping it's not, "they beat me because they love me."

I shoulda known adding to the Shoup House was a bad idea!

Unimpressed

Today, the Shoups got to experience the ceremony of a State Arrival. A State Arrival is used to welcome visiting foreign dignitaries and honor their relationship with the US. Today's visit brought David Cameron, Prime Minister of the UK. Through a series of fortunate events, I was able to bring KIC, her bestest daddy and some friends of ours to the event.

A bad day at this office still beats a good day at any other office

It's hard to describe the sort of awe and wonder I have with military type events. I was eager to share the wonder with KIC. She may or may not remember it, but the point is I'll be able to look back on this time fondly. I'm not sure what I thought KIC's reaction would be. She was VERY excited to come to "mommy's work" even if we got up at "it's still dark out, Mommy, it's nigh-night time" o'clock. She loved her new dress for the occasion and ESPECIALLY loved that I let her bust out her new Princess light up shoes!

This is my I got up way too early face

Upon arrival, the people we encountered couldn't have been nicer to KIC. She was having none of it. She didn't want flags, she didn't want a program and heaven forbid she smile. Throughout the day, when people tried to engage the pretty little blonde girl, they found themselves joining the ranks of the snubbed. When the band came in, an awesome staff member (who I may or may not know...thanks, TH and EH!!)spotted us, took pity on us and moved us closer so KIC could see.

Squeee! IT'S RIGHT THERE!

When we got to the squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee box, KIC was less interested in being thisclose to the podium and more interested in what her daddy was doing. That's cool. I can dig it. As the excitement mounted in the crowd with the announcement of the arrival of President Barack and Mrs. Michelle Obama, KIC stood at the rope line and halfheartedly waved her flag.

When the President and the Prime Minister joked about bracketology, burning down the White House (seriously, that's still funny after 200 years!) and being "chuffed", KIC stared with envy at her friend A's go go boots (they were seriously cool). She did perk up when I lifted her to see the red coat drum and fife corps because who doesn't get excited about a pretty red coat???

OMGROFLBBQCOPTER THEY ARE RIGHT THERE CAN THEY HEAR ME????

I don't think seeing Bo in all his glory taking his daily stroll even tickled her fancy (BTW, have you seen Bo lay an egg??). As the Obamas and the Camerons strolled into the White House, this was KIC's takeaway:

KIC: Mommy, can we go into the White House??
Me: No, baby, we cannot.
KIC: Why?
Me: Because we weren't invited.
KIC: Oh, okay. Can we go bowling then?
Me: No, baby, we cannot.
KIC: Why?
Me: Because I didn't reserve the bowling alley.
KIC: Oh, okay. Next time.

Kid's got her priorities and welcoming the Camerons to American apparently ain't one of 'em. I think I speak for all of the Shoups when I say to the people who made this happen, thank you. I can't ever express how awesome it was to have my family and friends experience this. And to the British Prime Minister: Welcome!

Liking the idea of ice cream

You could be thinking right now that the idea of ice cream is like being a little bit pregnant. You're either all in and eating it, or you're unAmerican. What's not to like about ice cream? The way it gets all melty and smooth? The sprinkles you can drown your ice cream in? The caramel sauce and whip cream you can put on top of your sundae? Forget like, what's not to LOVE about ice cream? You can even make it red, white and blue and be all patriotic and whatnot! Well, you obviously haven't met KIC.

KIC likes the idea of ice cream. An ice cream social was cancelled at her school recently and KIC's sadness could be felt from blocks away. Daddy took her to get ice cream that night anyway, thinking that having ice cream she was promised all day would help with the disappointment. KIC was so excited! ICE CREAM! WE'RE GONNA GET SOME! RIGHT NOW! (picture happy ice cream dance) They got to the store, she placed her order, they sat down all the while she's singing and dancing about her ice cream. "Thank you, Daddy, thank you for my ice cream." She showed the appreciation of someone who had just been given the best news of their lives, so excited was she about her ice cream. When they finally got to the part where she got to eat the ice cream, she ate approximately two bites of her ice cream and then she was done. KIC wasn't upset about missing out on the ice cream, she was upset about missing out on a special event with her friends!!! Eating ice cream with daddy just wasn't the same. Let's face it, ice cream just doesn't get her attention the way a pint of blueberries does.

Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful for a child who chooses healthier options over something like ice cream. More for me! But it breaks my ice cream lovin' heart a little bit each time someone turns to me and says "She doesn't really like ice cream, does she?" and I say, in between bites of her ice cream, "No. No she does not." Just another way to prove that this mom can take one for the team: Team Ice Cream.