Kids are weird. They are. It’s okay, I know that you think your kid is weird. And I know that you know that I think my kid is weird. There is nothing wrong with it. I don’t love him any less because he’s a weirdo…I actually love him more. Why? Because it’s hilarious. Kids are weird, lovable and entertaining.
I proudly say that Hippo is a weirdo. He dresses up in costumes. He practices Kung Fu to invisible foes. He makes random statements that don’t make sense, but make perfect sense. He has created his own language that I actually understand. Sometimes he’ll just answer in a bark. And he can quickly become a whole new person, I.E. Batman, Stitch, The 
President, A Ninja, a puppy (named Puppy Lee); in a drop of a hat and stay true to that character until he has to ask for food. To which he quickly becomes himself again in order to make sure he is getting the type of food he wants and/or deserves. Oh and he proudly reserves to himself as Hippo or KungFu Hippo. Weird. Kids don’t care. It’s fun. It’s harmless and it’s entertaining. It’s not until we become pre-teens or tweens that we decide it’s weird to live life this way, and become boring human beings. Let’s face it. We are boring. I certaintly don’t dress up in costume just to go get my latte…although, in all honesty, it could be really fun! Why not just put on a turtle shell and mask to head out to the grocery store? Why? Because I’d probably get locked up instead of getting my latte! LOL!
But I live vicariously through my son who absolutely loves dressing up! I love watching his imagination go to new heights. Right now he’s into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Like 
hardcore! Never in a million years did I ever think I would be re-living Turtle Mania with my own children. But it’s literally 1987 all over again in my house. We live a Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle combination lifestyle lifestyle. First day of school, we have Batman Backpack, Batman sippy cup, TMNT lunchbox, TMNT folders. A Batman T-Shirt with the TMNT sweatshirt that has a mask. The movie comes out, I offer to take him. He declines, says that I can’t go because I’m not a real ninja. That he would rather go with a real ninja, his Tio (spanish for uncle) who trains in Mixed Martial Arts at the same Dojo Jax was practicing at. Before Tio comes to get him, Jax strips off his school clothes and proceeds to put on his TMNT T-Shirt, Sweatshirt, Turtle Shell w/ Leo Sword & Ninja Stars…and of course his man-bag satchel that holds his wallet, “keys”, sunglasses and inhaler. I’m serious! This is real life. He went to the movie as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. But the kicker is the next day. I pick him up from my grandmother’s house and he puts on the TMNT sweatshirt w/ the mask. But then puts a fedora on top. I say, “Jax, what are you doing with the hat?”. He answers, “Mom, Ninja Turtles can’t be seen in public. I’m in disguise.” So basically my son who refers to himself as Hippo, was dressed like a Ninja Turtle disguised in human clothes….
….Weirdo.
