Mateo's Posse

That's right, my son is involved in a gang. It's his gang, made up of various animals and dolls. And it keeps growing. I'm not sure what the initiation policy is to get into this gang, but it seems to be particular to Mateo's specific standards and interests. So here's the run down about who's in, who's out, and what's going down on the east side.

First and original member, the all-important... Cowie. He's had this frumpy but still friendly looking stuffed cow puppet since he was a baby. It even had a hospital bracelet on it's leg. It has certainly seen better days, but remains a treasured friend and confidant. I'm serious about the confidant part. I'm convinced Mateo thinks Cowie is alive. He talks to it and expects a response back. He will keep saying the same thing over and over to Cowie, getting louder and louder until I finally answer in the best cow voice I can muster while trying to be covert. I don't think ventriloquism is in my future, but I manage to keep Mateo happy.

Notice the balding on Cowie's back. It's a stressful life being Mateo's go-to, right-hand (or is it hoof?) man.

So, the next honorary member of Mateo's crew is "Ellie". I know, we're not creative with the animal names. I don't have brain cells left to think up creative names for fabric stuffed with polyester. Ellie joined the rest of the gang a few months ago despite sitting around the house for the last year with not so much of a hug or hi from Mateo. I'm not quite sure what Ellie brings to the group. Maybe it's the fur (since Cowie is losing his) or maybe it's the way his eyes just look into your soul. Only Mateo knows for sure.

After Ellie joined the crew, then came "Panda". I guess I don't need quotations around that name, it pretty much speaks for itself. Panda came up while Dave was away in China. I bought Mateo the movie, Kung-Fu Panda to pass the time while Dave was away. Mateo calls it "Hi-ya!" (very enthusiastically) and I can pretty much recite it verbatim. It's a good movie... the first 10 times. After that, well, let's just say one can go mad. Not me. No, not me. No, no, no, definitely not me. I love the panda. I embrace the panda. The panda talks to me in my sleep. I eat the panda for dinn-errr...uhh...anyway...

We've had this stuffed panda since Dave's last trip to China when he brought it home for him. Mateo liked it then for a total of...I think, 8.5 seconds, then forgot about it until a few weeks ago. After watching "Hi-ya!" (I swear I didn't teach him that) too many times to count without gagging at the mere thought of the movie, I showed him the panda and said it was "Po", like from the movie. Mateo loved it from that point on and Panda now has exemplary status in the gang. Oh, while I was calling him Po the first day, Mateo decided that name did not suit him, so I asked what he would like to name the panda and he said, "Daddy." When I told this to Dave, thinking it was very cute and a high honor, Dave said, "so I've been replaced by a stuffed bear?" Since Dave's been home, "Daddy" has been renamed to just "Panda", which is right in line with all the others.

Next choice was a bit surprising to me. I found this baby doll that I used to teach baby massage with in the closet and took the opportunity to allow Mateo to develop his nurturing side without pigeon-holing him into gender-specific roles. Mateo took to the baby right away, hugging it and putting it to bed. Then banging it's head on the floor to wake it up. So sweet! Can you guess it's name? That's right. Baby! Do you see a pattern emerging here? So now we have Baby added to the bunch.


And finally, the last member. Cowie #2. This is our "back-up" Cowie in case we ever lose the original. Mateo found it and was quite pleased, and a bit confused, about having two of his most dear and favorite toy. I figured it might be worth it to let him get used to it and wear it in a little because original Cowie's head has already fallen off once and it's looking a little sad. There may be one day in the future where we have to make the switch. Maybe it won't be too bad if he's already used to Cowie #2.

Yes, can you believe this is what original cowie used to look like? It actually had fur and even moo'ed. That was a long time ago. A long, long time ago. Poor Cowie.

So, there you go. You are now introduced to the cast of characters in the Mateo Show. It's a very exclusive club. Dave and I are awaiting our invitations. I think they're in the mail.