Parents Beware

This is what happens if you don't let your child watch television.

Who Says California Is a High-Cost State?

You may have read this story about the Salinas couple who tried to sell their 6-month-old baby in a Walmart parking lot for $25.

From the Chronicle:

Salinas police spokesman, Officer Lalo Villegas, said Thursday that Patrick Fousek, 38, and Samantha Tomasini, 20, were arrested early Wednesday, hours after Fousek allegedly approached two women outside Walmart and asked if they'd like to purchase his child.

The women initially thought Fousek was joking, but when he became persistent, they became suspicious and reported it to police, Villegas said.

The story reminded me of a similar incident in Pensacola, Fla., a few years ago.

From the Associated Press in December 2007:

A couple was charged Friday with trying to sell their 2-month-old baby for $30 in a store parking lot, authorities said.

Robert G. Ellingson, 23, approached two people in the PetSmart parking lot and offered them a beer. When they refused, he offered to sell his child, Escambia County Sheriff's officials said.

"At first they thought it was a joke," sheriff's spokesman Glenn Austin told the Pensacola News Journal. "But then the mother yelled to the group that they were trying to sell the baby. And one of them called us."

Two thoughts: (1.) Apparently your baby fetches a better price outside a PetSmart than a Walmart. (2.) Babies are selling for $30 in Pensacola, but $25 here? If only our real-estate costs were comparable.

Tagging Toddlers

If you wonder why we have a graffiti problem in this neighborhood, they start them young.

(Elliot and his best friend Sophia — photo courtesy of Sophia's mom, Misty.)

Him Too?

I thought they were still trying to get O.J. out.

Father's Day: a Recap

Well, I didn't get an iPad, but no complaints from me this Father's Day. I got to sleep in, and then we had a delicious brunch at Triptych.



It's unfortunate that Elliot didn't sense the gravitas of the occasion.



Also, it appears that Triptych acquired their high chair from a Depression-era pediatric hospital. Elliot had lots of fun squeaking around in it.



I enjoyed my bloody mary.



In the afternoon, we had ice cream at Yerba Buena Gardens and Elliot splashed in the Martin Luther King fountain.





Oddly enough, Elliot received his own gift for Father's Day: a xylophone.



I'm not sure how this is in keeping with the spirit of the day, since it will likely cause Daddy a great deal of irritation every morning. But he does seem to enjoy it.

Even if Elliot didn't really understand the holiday, the highlight was probably a quiet moment at the park.

He sat down on a rock and patted a space for me next to him. Then he gave me some stale Cheddar Bunnies from his private stash.

Thanks, son.

Happy Father's Day from BuboBlog

Bath-Time Warfare

I know I complained about the Munchkin fishing reel the other day, but I am grateful of one thing: It isn't a squirt toy.

Elliot now spends most of his bath time trying to fill his squirt toys with water so that he can soak Daddy.

The sad part is, I'm the one who showed him how to fill them with water. I feel like the CIA giving weapons and training to the Taliban in the 1980s.

When I grab a squirt toy and return fire, Elliot shrieks and flails around as if he's being tortured. Then he pauses for a moment and says, "More." (Well, more like, "Muh.")



The real danger is Elliot has begun to realize he has his own nozzle factory-installed.