VIDEO: Christmas Comes Early

So Christmas came early to our house... on Black Friday to be exact.  Dave and I were tossing around what to get Drew this year and one thing we really wanted to get was a punching bag - seeing as he's fascinated by Rocky and has been for more than 2 years.  Dave's wanted a punching bag for nearly as many years as I've known him (and actually almost got him one last year for Christmas).

Well scouring the Black Friday ads, I found a great deal on a punching bag/speed bag combo.  Dave and I said we'd check it out to make sure it wasn't cheap - because we need a stand.  We don't have anywhere to hang the bag without taking our entire house down.

We were in luck... at about Noon when we were heading home, we went to the sporting good store and they had one left.  The Floor Model.  We scooped it up, and since it wasn't boxed it couldn't sit under the tree - so Dave set it up.

Here's the father/son team....

In the Red Corner - Drew - a.k.a. Rocky Balboa - a.k.a. The Italian Stallion



And in the Blue Corner - Daddy - a.k.a. Dave



All I can say is... Like Father, Like Son.

VIDEO: Action Figure Rocky Reenactment

Drew uses his Rocky and the Rock action figures to reenact the fight in Rocky IV (play fight with Apollo Creed and Rocky).

I'll apologize now for the length....

VIDEO: Rocky vs Elf

For more than two years Rocky has been Drew's hero.  He impersonates Sly every chance he gets and even draws pictures of his idol...

For those that can't quite make it out... Drew is on the left in "jail" and Rocky is on the right "busting him out".  He made that at pizza the other night.

Then on Sunday Dave sent me a new video of Drew watching his new favorite movie - Elf.



I despise Will Farrell, and therefore hate watching his movies. But Drew seems to take to his crazy antics. Figures.

VIDEO: My Hero Rocky

Last night we happened upon a Rocky Marathon on AMC and you know Drew... he can spot (or shall we say hear) a Rocky movie from the other side of the house.  We were also notified that Rocky is Drew's hero.

This was the Original Rocky and the training session... Drew had to do as Rocky was doing.  Situps and Push-ups.

But then the famous climbing the stairs scene.... wait for the kicker at the end when Drew breaks character.

Drew IV

Our little Rocky Balboa is FOUR today!  On Saturday we held his birthday party at the local park and what other theme could we have but Rocky!

Yep that's the invitation I made!!

The star of the day... our own Drew Rocky Balboa.

The cake I slaved HOURS on (of course some of the "seam" fell off in the transfer from home to the park)

L-R: Elijah, Heather, Steve

Thankfully the weather was fantastic (thunderstorms the night before) so the kids could play in the splash park.
L-R: Naomi, Charlize, Drew, Jayce

  Drew getting water from the "fountain"

Cousin Kady and Drew

 Drew showing his Rocky muscles

Drew and his "Adrians" showing muscles.
L-R: Drew, Zionna, Naomi

Time to sing Happy Birthday to the star of the show....
L-R: Elijah, Drew, Zionna and Mason

The fake candle blow-out.  The wind kicked up just then so we couldn't get a single candle lit.

Someone is going for the sneak attack....

And it's all caught on camera!

For background music Dave had a playlist of Rocky theme songs from various soundtracks.  When the "training song" came on, Drew decided to do some "training"

 At one point he even had all the kids running after him, just like the kids did in Rocky II.

Then it was time to open presents....

L-R: Adrina, Rana (my brother Matt's fiance), Naomi

 It cracked me up how all the kids hovered around Drew to open gifts.  They even handed their own gifts to Drew to open up.
L-R: Zionna, Elijah, Troy, Naomi (hidden a bit), Riley, Drew in the chair.

Josh and Rhiannon looking on

And saving the best for last... Uncle Doug, Aunt Connie, Grammy and GrampC behind the camera

There were a few other classmates and friends we didn't apparently get pictures of.  The park is pretty big so it was hard for us to be in all places.  For lunch we served pizza for the kids and of course Philly Cheesesteaks for the adults. 

We thank all of our family and Drew's friends who came to make it such a special day for him.  He really felt pretty good about it - as did Mom and Dad.

Park it Rocky

While I was in Boston last week, Daddy and Drew hit up the park.  Only Rocky made a guest appearance.  Here's the video proof:



Yes, he's still a Rocky addict.

Now Who Has the 'Eye of the Tiger'?

Friday was Parent's Night Out (PNO) at Drew's preschool, so what did we do to celebrate?  We joined our friends at the Alameda County Fair to see the group Survivor - they're probably most known for "Eye of the Tiger".  If you've been living under a rock, that's one of Drew's favorite songs because after all it is a Rocky song and all...

But this trip to the fair was just Dave and I with some of our other friends...

Dave was plenty excited to see the group and wore his Rocky shirt and brought a Rocky CD hoping to get an autograph.

That's our friend Travis in the yellow shirt.

The crowd was pumped up for the last song of the night... "Eye of the Tiger"

Unfortunately we spent an hour waiting for the band to come out and autograph Dave's gear.  In the meantime our friend Stephanie (Drew's former daycare provider) staked out a mechanical bull and bought Dave another beer and dared him to ride it....

He did!

Dave is still dealing with whiplash from his headbanging during the concert and the bull riding!

Rocky Run - With Music

As I mentioned before, Drew is obsessed with going outside and doing his "Rocky Run's".  I posted a video from a few weeks ago when Drew kept falling - for those that missed it, you can find it here.

Well before I went to Philadelphia last week, he did it again, but this time to the "Rocky Run song". And he was a little more coordinated...



Did you notice the 'freeze' move Drew does... you know, just like Rocky does in the movie...

City Of Brotherly Love

I'm wiped out after today's waking tour if Philadelphia. If you didn't see on Facebook here are some of my highlights:







City Hall







Congress Hall




Independence Hall




Inside the old City Hall/Supreme Court



Does that really need an explanation? These next few were for Drew.



After climbing the "Rocky Steps"




And that completes the tour. After all the fun it was time to work.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Training Mishap

Whenever Drew gets outside to play (which hasn't been very often the past few weeks with all the rain), but he has his little "routine".  Every time try and capture this routine of his, something happens.

Sometimes it's hard to train like Rocky....



(Did you notice he's wearing his "Rocky workout outfit"?)  On this particular day a week or so ago, every time I tried to get it on video he fell! We're talking like three times... which means strike three and we went back into the house.

Other times I've tried capturing it and then he gets sidetracked and doesn't follow-through. What he does across the yard is hilarious. I'll keep trying to get that on video...

In the meantime, here's another video I found on my phone of Drew "singing" through the workout part of the movie...

Rocky Run

Last night Drew was itching to get out of the house and go somewhere. I was itching to make-up the workout I missed by oversleeping. So we compromised. I went for a nice walk and Drew went for a run. A Rocky training run.

Drew happily waved at all the other people running/walking as well as everyone who drove by. He kept telling me he was training like Rocky. Oh and he was constantly asking where the steps were.

The run was about 19 minutes before 'lil Rocky had to go potty. Then he was sidetracked with the park - forgetting he needed to go... When it then came back to him. I ended up carrying him the remaining 10 minute walk back home.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Who's the Champ?

There's always a winner when it comes to the ring.  Who has the best moves.  Here in this video, Drew puts the moves on his nemesis... Spider-man.  So who is the champ?

Where Do They Come Up With This Stuff?

For those of you who are "friends" with me on Facebook, this first story will be a "repeat", but I need to document it here on the blog.  I take the posts from the blog and keep the stories to share with Drew later as he's older - to serve as a reminder for all the little things I would normally forget.

STORY #1 - Name Change
On Tuesday evening I was giving Drew a bath.  And he threw out something I think is rather profound for a three-year-old.  Here's the conversation that went down:

Drew: "I have something to announce.  I changed my name today"
Me: "What's your new name"
Drew: "Rocky Balboa"

I needed Dave to finish up with Drew's bath while I did a few things on the computer.  As the two of them are in his bedroom, I hear Drew start in again with Dave.

Drew: "I changed my name today to 'lil Rocky Balboa"
Dave: "You did huh, you're my Little Rocky Balboa?"
Drew: "No it's 'lil Rocky"

Fast forward about an hour, and I'm laying in bed with Drew.  Because he's changed his name and all... here's now that conversation went down.

Me: "Goodnight Rocky, I love you"
Drew: "I love you to Adrian.  Your name changed today to Adrian"
Me:

Drew:  "It's not funny!" (he's clearly embarrassed because I was laughing)
Me: "You're right it's not funny.  It's adorable"
Drew: "I"m not adorable, I'm tough like Rocky!"

So fast forward to this morning, it's share day at school - and when Drew realized this he instantly asked to bring his Rocky Poncho to School for share day.  When we get to school he has to show Ms. Jonelle his poncho and explain that its what Rocky wears before he fights. 

She laughs and tells me about how ever since on of the girls in his class decided her name changed to Ariel (as in The Little Mermaid) Drew decided that his name was Rocky.  And that when she calls on him for something she has to say "Drew Rocky", and sometimes he makes her say "Drew Rocky Balboa".  So now we have some background to the name change thing that has recently had us chuckling at home.

STORY #2 - Drew's a Grown-up, well when he wants to be
Here's the second story for you today.  For weeks, if not months, Drew is obsessed with thinking he's older than he is.  Heaven forbid you say he's too little/young to do something. He'll tell you he's a big boy.  He's even thrown out that he's a grown-up (although he's recently decided that grown-ups have hair all over so he's not a grown-up yet... that story is for another blog someday).

So last night after work I was making dinner, trying to put out a few work fires, do the dishes/empty the dishwasher, answering Dave's questions, holding the Spider-man punching bag so Drew could  pound on him, playing some movies for Drew... you know the daily grind for working Mothers.

So needless to say I was a little frustrated and feeling stretched a little thin... and the whining from a certain nameless child was pushing me over the edge.  When I served Drew dinner, he was whining how he didn't want to eat that (oops I threw the nameless child under the bus).  And then the cup I put his milk in wasn't good enough.  Again, the daily grind.

After the incessant complains about the cup.. I told him he couldn't have a cup with a lid because they were all dirty, so he could have the one he had now.. or the hot wheels cup.  He opted for hot wheels - I guess it was cooler than the Red Robin cup I had given him initially LOL.

I then threw in a crack about how I keep having to dirty cups for him, so he's going to learn how to do his own dishes.  Here was our tableside "discussion":

Drew: "I won't ever, never do dishes, because that's for grown ups." 
Me: "Oh yes you will, why do you think I had kids in the first place"
Drew: "I can't do dishes because, it will hurt me"
Me: "It won't hurt you.  You'll do dishes when I tell you to"
Drew: "I won't ever be big, so I can't do dishes".

So tell me, why is it that kids want to grow-up and be big... but only when it suits them?

More Fuel to the Rocky Fire

Daddy had a brilliant idea a few weeks ago, to you know... encourage Drew's recent Rocky Balboa addiction.  Here's a video of the surprise Drew received on Monday:



He's one happy camper!

Needless to say Drew didn't take that shirt off all night, until we told him he had to suit up for swimming lessons.  I think it's safe to say he has a new favorite shirt.

For the record, Dave bought the iron-on transfers from someone on eBay (located in Australia).  And Daddy has a matching one too - in his size.  So be on the lookout for some Rocky fanatics in future posts!

Rocky Vs. Clubber Lang

If you haven't figured out yet, Drew is all Rocky.  All the time.  You have to check out this video of Drew boxing with Daddy as he's trying to get his PJ's on for the night.  Wait for the surprise ending...

Italian Stallion Wannabe

My 3 year old has a problem.  Perhaps we should find a support group for him (or maybe us) to learn how to help him overcome his Rocky addiction.

Symptoms: Waking up 2 hours later than normal, refusal to go to school without wearing "Rocky Clothes and shoes", nonstop Rocky Movie watching, humming "Eye of the Tiger" during bedtime stories, doing a spin and run up the "Rocky" stairs at preschool everyday and then air-punching the car, naming the part of the movie he wishes to watch and knowing whether it's on Rocky II, III or IV, hearing the soundtrack and knowing which scene from the movie (and which movie it's from), etc.

Yes, some of these signs leading to a Rocky addiction were spotted yesterday morning by Dave.  Drew woke up at nearly 8am (he has been waking up at 5:30 the past several days) and he immediately announced he wouldn't go to school without wearing Rocky clothes.  So Dave improvised - since we don't exactly have the 80's sweats that the real Italian Stallion wore in Rocky.

Here's Rocky's Sweats:

Here's Dave's Improvisation:

See the gray shirt, sorta gray/black sweat pants and what you can't see from the Rocky photo, is that he's running in converse shoes.  Drew was handed down a pair and now it's IMPOSSIBLE to get him to wear anything else.

And while I was trying to snap the photo on my phone Drew kept wanting to do his "Yo Adrian I did it" impersonation.  So I had him do a few things for you - the ending of this video makes me CRACK UP!



So if anyone has a cure for the Rocky disease, let me know.  It's not normal that a 3 1/2 year old be this infatuated with everything Rocky!