His Buzz Love...

Have you ever seen the movie Toy Story?

Or the inspiredly named sequel, Toy Story 2.

Or maybe even the ground breaking in movie naming follow up, Toy Story 3.

I mean who saw that coming? Huh! 1, 2 and then 3.

<Mind blown>

Maybe the Star Wars people should take note.

There’s some serious love for Toy Story in my little family.

It all goes back twenty millennia ago. When Team Parent (yay!) we're just getting to know each other. When the first seeds of love and romance were being sown over a bacon sandwiches and lots, LOTS, of cups of tea.

A few months into our courting (oh yes, classy huh) said movie was purchased on VHS and me and Mrs. Amazing (then Miss) and some mates descended on Grannie Amazing’s (then Mrs) gaff, ate all her food, and watched it. It was amazing. It was the first CGI feature length movie ever. EV-ERRRRR. <Feels really old>

I recall there being concerns in the muppet media (the normal media) that people wouldn't like watching CGI animation.

Fools. Damn fools! The worst kind.

I hope their hats tasted good.

(The UK media… lovely…)

So Team Parent (yay!) loved Toy Story.

And probably watched it a million times, whilst not studying. When we should have been. And not really watching it as young types are prone to do. <Blushes>

Sister-In-Law Amazing who was, and still is I believe, a bit younger. Even got the Buzz Lightyear toy for Christmas that year.

Yep, the year that Buzzes were like gold dust and people were hunting for them high and low. It was such a big phenomenon that in Toy Story 2 they even reference said Buzz shortage.

Ooo. I know.

Anyhoo...

Boy10 loved the Toy Story movies.

There was two for him to watch when he first started loving the characters. And as he was the first child on the Amazing's side of the family. He got a fair bit of Toy Story toys. Lovely.

He even had a Woody outfit. Which as I write now and wonder if I told someone I was going to dress as someone called 'Woody'. I imagine I might get a weird look, or at least thrown out of the pub. How innocent we were then.

Woody. <Giggles>

Then Boy10 grew.

Despite my best efforts. Boy10 grew and his loves and wants changed also. The Toy Story toys being passed onto to nephews and Boy10 picking up Nerf guns and argueing with me as his new loves and hobbies.

Time passed.

Miss6 watched the Toy Story movies. The third movie came out. And we all sat down and watched it as a family.

And despite one of us hiding his tears through the end...

Boy10: ‘Dad are you alright?’

Yeah... yeah. Fine! Just poked myself in both eyes, before this scene started... <Sniffles>

Boy10: ‘Why would you do that?’

Er... <Gives up trying to lie> I'm an idiot...

Mrs. Amazing: 'Yep... But a lovely big soft idiot...'

<Take the complement> <Ignores the insult>

... And not forgetting the rather harrowing furnace screen...

(Not a happy place… unless you are cold…)

CLIMB FOR IT! OH FOR BACON'S SAKE!!! DON'T SIT DOWN!

HOW IS HOLDING HANDS GOING TO HELP! CLIMB! CLIMB!!!

I CAN'T WATCH!!!

<Hides behind Miss6>

Tell me when I can look...

Miss6: 'You can look'

ARHGHGHGHGG!!!

Miss6: <Giggles>

And that I thought that was it.

Well unless there was another Toy Story movie. Which I guess would be called Toy Story 4. And be about Andy’s troubles of dating whilst carrying toys around with him. A disaster movie obv.

But essentially I thought the Toy Story love for us lot would dwindle. With only Team Parent (yay!) sounding old everytime it came up. Doing quotes no one gets. And Boy10 denying he ever ran about dressed as Woody. <Giggles>

Miss6 didn't mind the movies, she didn't love them either. They are no Frozen to her (Let It Go! (The Charge of the Elsas)).

And BabyBoy3 didn't seem fussed with Toy Story. He loves Fireman Sam.

And Frozen ("Det It Dough!"... A Frozen Legacy) too.

Toy Story for us was done.

<Weeps>

But then Toy Story 3 was repeated on tut tele.

And our clever little box of black magic recorded it. And Boy10 insisted watching it just before bedtime. Despite Team Parent (yay!) making it very clear we did not want BabyBoy3 watching the furnace bit.

Which he then watched. Sigh.

Miss6 burst into tears watching it. She was ill and exhausted. Too much emotion going on screen and in her.

BabyBoy3 needed hugging after.

Boy10 got some harsh words.

Gryzoot... Brexit... Trump... Discharge... Proportionate discrimination... Last orders... Your bank has refused your transaction... Low fat… We're out of bacon!

Boy10: '...'

Boy10: 'Is there anyway I change my Dad? For a more normal one?'

NOPE! HAHAHAAHAAAAA. FOR LIFE matey Bob.

<Leaves cackling>

<Comes back as was watching tele and my tea is there>

And then something happened in BabyBoy3.

The next day when he got some tele chilling time, he asked to watch Toy Story 3 again.

No chance. Not that horror movie. But the first Toy Story was put on for him.

And this time it was love. Buzz love.

When I got home that evening Mrs. Amazing relayed what had happened.

BabyBoy3 had watched it twice in a row to start with. And then wanted every Toy Story toy we had to sit and watch it with. Hella cute!

Mrs. Amazing managed to hunt down the now sixth-or-seventh-hand Buzz. The Woody whose batteries had long since failed was found.

By the end of the week. BabyBoy3 could be found watching with Buzz, Woody, Mr. Potato Head, Hamm (well a pig toy we have, this one has coins and sings, but it's close enough for BabyBoy3) and Rex. And a new shiny Jessy.

Which confused him a bit, as he had hadn't seen Toy Story 2 yet.

A week later when I had some time.

I swore and poked and prodded the Woody doll until I managed to get new batteries in it.

BabyBoy3 ran about so happy pulling its cord and making it talk. Bonusly he scared the crap out of Boy10 with it. As Boy10 was telling him it didn't talk, only to have BabyBoy3 pull the chord and a voice came out. Which Boy10 wasn't expecting.

Great times. <Is smiling>

Buzz Lightyear sheets, that have been passed down, were found.

And Grannie Amazing suddenly produced some Buzz Lightyear pyjamas.

Which he frikkin' loves. The breastplate glows.

I want jammies that glow!

At bedtime now.

BabyBoy3 lays in his Buzz bed sheets, wearing his Buzz jammies, and his actual Buzz toy tucked up, by him, next to him.

We had bit of a problem when the head of Buzz was knocked off. BabyBoy3 was cool about it. But really wanted the head back on.

I tried lots of glues and complex plans to reattach it. However Mrs. Amazing got her glue gun out and fixed whilst I was at work.

BabyBoy3 was very happy to have Buzz with head attached again.

A really happy, cute, little scrummy Buzz mad boy.

Bless.

Now you may think I am spoiling him.

And frankly I maybe, but I don't think so. But when I nipped home for lunch today. It was for one thing and thing only.

<Opens chocolate cupboard>

To get the Buzz jammies out of the washing machine so they would be dry by tonight.

BabyBoy3 is so happy when he gets to be Buzz. It's worth the effort.

He still doesn’t like being called Buzz though. You still get a cross…

BabyBoy3: ‘NOT BUZZ! Baby-Boy-3!’ <Gives outraged face>

(Radiators are not enough when it’s urgent…

Urgent stuff goes in the ULTRA DRYER (airing cupboard)...)

But hey. Each to their own.

Sadly all that Buzz stuff doesn't really help him stay in bed. He plays for a while and stays put. Shouts ‘Tinfinity Beyond!’ for a bit. Which is hella cute.

But eventually…

<Watches tiny Buzz run fly out of his bedroom for the thousandth time>

BabyBoy3: ‘Tinfinity Beyond!’

<Considers hiding jammies tomorrow night>

X

Trick or Treat...

It's about the treats, is it not. (It is)

A few people may jokingly say trick, those twonks jokers.

But really it's about the sweets. Candy. Choc-choc. Sugar.

The children say their line. They pick out some sweets.

The children say thank you. We leave.

Everybody is happy.

And I steal their sweets later that night.

Except that this year.

Halloween fell on a Tuesday. Which is frankly a bit rude.

Monday last year was awkward enough. First day of term and all. But a Tuesday? Everyone hates a Tuesday.

Team Parent (yay!) had a quick meeting to discuss what we were going do about it.

As Mrs. Amazing had to stay late at work and wouldn't be back in time to take the kids trick or treating. And I would only get back fifteen minutes before BabyBoy3's bedtime.

(Miss6’s… She wanted a happy pumpkin…

Not sure she’s got the main thrust of Halloween...)

The Treat...

Mrs. Amazing asked if could leave work early.

Which, very surprisingly, I was reluctant to do. As only that morning I had gone in early to gain some time. For a parent evening coming up. When I'll have to leave early.

PLUS! On Sunday we had hosted a lovely Halloween party for Boy10, Miss6 and BabyBoy3, and some of their mates.

Frankly I thought Halloween was done for the year...

Mrs. Amazing: 'What are you doing?'

<Picks up spider from floor>

Tidying up! Halloween is done...

<Picks up another spider from floor>

Now having spiders hanging about just seems weird...

Mrs. Amazing: 'But it's the 30th of October! We're not done!'

<Picks up really big spider from floor>

Really? <Sighs>

Mrs. Amazing: 'Plus that last spider wasn't a toy…’

<SCREAMS and leaps onto a chair flapping my arms about like a thousand bats are on me Nonchalantly places spider back on floor>

It seems I was wrong.

Halloween is now a three day affair. yay.

Mrs. Amazing explains that she would really love to take the terrors out for trick or treating. But cannot. So could I please leave work early and take them. So they don't miss out. I question if this is really important. It is.

Right. <Rolls up sleeves>

I leave work flipping everyone the bird and laughing as I am leaving early.

Genuinely excited to be going trick or treating. Which is weird. Don't think I've ever felt that before. Halloween didn't really feature much in my childhood. This is the UK.

<Gestures to land mass around me>

A few houses will be decorated. Most won't.

As a child trick or treating was to one house. Only. There was a long walk there too.

And then back home again.

yay.

MyMum: 'What did you get?'

YoungMe: 'A... Tadadadadadaaaaaa!!! Twix'

MeMa: 'Where is it?'

YoungMe: <Points at month> '... before the door closed...'

Anyhoo...

I got home.

Where my Mum has been guarding the kids. Knowing I was coming home early to take them trick or treating. So I expect to see the three terrors, dressed as terrors, as I walk in the door.

Instead I see:

Badgers! Everywhere... As far the eye can see... What on earth???...

<Badgers break into a musical number>

<Watches enthralled>

Miss6 ready. Dressed vaguely as a witch. That likes sparkly things. Collecting bucket in hand. Excellent.

Tick.

BabyBoy3 in hella cute pumpkin outfit. But only one sock. He shows me his bare foot.

No tick.

Boy10 still in school uniform. Sat in front of computer. Head phones on.

HUGE QUESTION MARK.

I ask Boy10 why he isn't ready?

I mention there will be free sweets (as if he didn't know). And that he can dress as a werewolf and scare people. He still says he doesn't want to. <Faints>

I double check? And it's still no from Boy10.

I explain there will no chances later. This is it. The chance. With me now. No laters.

Still no.

I ask about his day.

Did anything happen that might have caused this surprising and bewildering lack of desire to go trolling the streets in the dark for sweets? Still no.

So I hug him in case there's something wrong that he doesn't want to say. But a hug might just squeeze out of him.

Nope. Nothing.

I ask for the tenth time. And it's still no. Boy10 just doesn't want to go.

Weirdo.

Ah well.

That just means my evening is going to be cuter. As I've got Miss6 dressed vaguely as a witch. BabyBoy3 dressed as a little pumpkin. And me with a vampire cloak on.

Which I only added as a last minute thought. It's not much. Dressing up wise. A cloak.

But BabyBoy3 keeps calling me Batman when I wear it. Which I frikkin' love!

And every now and then the wind whips up and it flies out and I get to feel all superheroey.

Small things.

We still have BabyBoy3's sock problem to resolve.

He is claiming you don't need socks on with wellies. Whereas me and my Mum are saying you most definitely do. The 'well you can't go then' threat is levelled at him and he stomps off a bit cross. With only one welly on.

Miss6 points out he will miss out on sweets. Back he comes.

We compromise with odd socks and wellies.

Then I realise he hasn't a coat.

I have. Under my cloak. So he definately needs one. I suggest he take off the pumpkin outfit and put the coat under. He is not keen.

R-EAL-LY shouty / kicky not keen.

Another compromise is reached. He'll wear the coat over the costume.

But then no will be able to see your... Oh whatever! Finally ready.

Me, Miss6 and BabyBoy3 stomp off into the night...

(Hella cuties…

You can almost see their Halloween costumes under their coats…

Almost…)

[Outside in the dark]

Miss6: 'It's dark!' <Is in the dark>

… yep… <Is in the same dark>

BabyBoy3: 'Where we going Daddy?'

Round the block...

BabyBoy3: 'Where?'

A. Round. the block!

BabyBoy3: 'Where?'

... This way... <Points>

BabyBoy3: 'OOOOOOOO MOON! DADDY MOON!'

BabyBoy3: <Stops to admire wondrous celestial body> <Pointing>

Miss6: <Stops... admire...celestial... etc...>

… Yep... <Carries on>

<Has seen the moon before>

Of course.

I may have seen the moon before. From outside. Many times when heading out to the pub do late night revision or charitiorious (real word) work.

But BabyBoy3 hasn't. He's normal dressed up in Buzz Lightyear jammies and heading off to bed when moon does her sky boogie.

And to be honest if it's the first time you get to see the moon. Outside.

Well you would stop and stare...

<Watches Miss6 and BabyBoy3 looking at moon>

<Gets bored> ... Come on... Chop chop!!!

<Does Dad style motioning that never works>

We're never going to get round the block at this rate!

Miss6 & BabyBoy3: <Run to catch me up> <Lots of welly noises>

And then us three have the best fun.

I really enjoyed myself. They were lovely. Everyone we met was lovely. We giggled a lot.

Some things frightened them. But they just moved closer to me. Hiding in my cape apparently was enough safety for BabyBoy3.

Who else can make you feel safe, if not your Dad...

You knock...

Miss6: 'No way'

Go on... That giant spider is giving me the creeps...

Miss6: <Sighs>

Miss6: <Knocks on tiptoes>

[Door opens and a little girl dressed as a bumble opens the door]

ARHGGHHGGHGH BEE!!! <Runs>

A few houses we knocked at.

The door opened and Miss6 said hi to a friend. That I didn't recognise at all.

Their parent looking back at me. Thinking the same.

Both wondering how they knew each other. But unable to ask each other due to manners.

Smiles all round. Quick exit.

After each house.

BabyBoy3 kept saying 'One more, just one more...'.

Bless. Just like his Dad in the pub at work doing work unit... thingys… A lot.

He said every hous. Despite me telling him we had at least five more houses to go to. With our next door neighbour being last.

Still he was happy.

Half way round.

And I couldn’t help myself. And I started calling BabyBoy3 'Little Pumpkin'.

As he was dressed as a little pumpkin.

BabyBoy3 tolerated that twice before correcting me...

BabyBoy3: 'I'm not a little pumpkin!'

<Both me and Miss6 point to his bright orange outfit>

BabyBoy3: 'I am BABY. BOY. 3!'

... <Exchanges look with Miss6> Fair enough little pumpkin...

Eventually with buckets full.

We plodded home. Lit our jack o'lanterns and put them outside. Declaring the universal sign of 'We will give you sweets if you knock and ask'.

Boy10 was put in charge of handing out sweets to the trick or treaters.

Whilst I put BabyBoy3 to bed. Which didn't take long as BabyBoy3 was utterly knackered. Late walking really took it out of him.

Milk was thrown down his throat and we watched the excellent Sarah and Duck Halloween episode.

He was asleep in minutes. Bonza.

(Sarah: ‘No Duck I haven’t seen your pastry...’

Sarah: <Munching noises>

Duck: ‘QUACK!’ *(‘You utter cow bag Sarah! That’s mine!’))

Mrs. Amazing arrived home just in time.

For Miss6 to ditch me as bedtime story teller. In favour of Mummy. It still hurts.

But I stood strong and insisted it was my turn. We had great fun.

Mrs. Amazing took Boy10 up for bed. Me taking over sweet handing out duties.

Our three jack o'lanterns calling trick or treaters to our house.

The Trick...

Suddenly alone downstairs.

With the rest of the very first Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror to finish watching. YAY!

Quietly so Boy10 didn't hear.

Something occurred to me. <Does shifty eyes>

Something wicked and totally in keeping with the Halloween spirit I feel. A trick if you will!

And possibly a lot little bit based on how upset I was that the good chocolates (the Cadbury's ones) had all been handed out. And now we were handing out actually non-halloween allocated treats from the chocolate cupboard.

My treats.

Now… if... the jack o'lanterns.

Happened to get blown out. By accident. By wind for instance. It could happen.

And no one noticed...

... well then the amount of chocolate we had in the house would be, let's say, safeguarded the most. There would be an increase in stock of sweets in the house, for anyone wanting to munch nice stuff through the entire of The Great British Bake Off.

<Does evil, but polite, maniacal laugh>

Then there was a knock at the door.

Two very cute trick or treaters were at the door. We had been to their house earlier.

I give them extra treats and flushed all thoughts of jack o'lantern sabotage out of my head.

It was just a thought anyway. Never would have done it, in a million nanoseconds years.

<Does shifty eyes>

Anyway.

I could probably do with eating a few less sweets some nights.

Halloween is as good as any other!

<Spies Miss6’s and BabyBoy3’s sweet buckets…>

<Is tempted...>

X