Dreams

We're going back a little bit to catch up on what happened the last couple of months of 2007 since nothing horribly exciting has happened in 2008. So, back in November we participated in a local parade and thanks to Cheri I got to fulfill one of my lifelong dreams...to be a Mascot!!

It all started on a late Thursday night at Walmart. I had tried to convince Cheri to make me a costume earlier in the week but she simply said she didn't have the time nor know how. But with the parade on Saturday morning I saw my dream slipping away with the sands of time. So I called her to inform her I had full confidence she could do it, and that I just happen to come across the perfect material. I arrived home around 11pm and we were up until 2 or 3, cheri sewing and me paper-macheing a balloon for the head. She was amazing, working on it most of Friday as well. And this was the finished product.

The "Penguin" reporting for duty.

No, not that Penguin from Batman, but the cute and loveable one that has so many adoring fans. (It was hot in AZ, but a camelback helped make things bearable)

Even the adults wanted a piece of the Penguin.

Alas, this career seems short-lived and extremely rare opportunities because the one person who doesn't find the "Penguin" cute and loveable is Keara. She freaked out when she first saw me because she didn't see me get dressed into the costume. Even though we have since shown her how it is daddy under the outfit she still gets scared. One night we had a couple of friends over and Cheri asked me to go upstairs and put it on for them. When I came down Keara ran for mommy and started crying. Now, everytime I go upstairs she starts to get worried and tells Cheri "where's daddy? NO! no Piu Piu! Be Nice!!" It's quite funny but obviously traumatizing for her. Even when we are in our closet and she sees the costume on the top shelf she reminds us "Piu Piu be nice."