When I wrote about George last week, I had a list of things I wanted to include. Then of course when I sat down to write, I couldn’t remember everything. Probably just as well since my posts are far too long as it is… But I forgot one story that is just too important to drop.
You see, we have recently added another family member to the three ring circus we call The Reston Zoo.
Meet R2:
Chris’ grandfather sent this to the kids for Christmas, and in typical Hood family style, it took us about four months to actually put batteries in it. And we only did it because we found George and Oliver pushing the toy around and “pretending” that it was a working robot. Seriously, Chris and I (but mostly Chris) take lazy to a whole new level.
But once we did give life to R2, we couldn’t believe we let him sit dormant for so many months. To quote Chris, “R2 is awesome.”
This robot makes all of the same whirring and chirping noises that you will remember from the Star Wars movies. AND he responds to voice commands. If you say “hey R2,” his “head” will swivel in your direction and he’ll “beep, whir, chirp.” If you say “C3P0,” he will shake his head and “chirp, whir, beep.” If you say, “R2 – go on patrol,” he will roll into the next room and keep going until he finds a person (he’s a heat seeking robot).
He doesn’t roll into walls. Instead he senses them and keeps turning until he finds a clear path.
In general, after spending an hour or two with R2 chirping and whirring around the house, you kind of start to feel like he’s…well, R2D2. A cognizant presence. Another family member.
One weekend, I walked into the playroom to find George and Oliver sharing their afternoon snack with the R2. Oliver had put him on a chair at the kids’ table and they were conducting a full conversation mixed with toddler chatter and robot beeps.
Since R2 is sound activated, he has random reactions to various sets of sound combinations. As a result, too much noise, namely the kids all simultaneously whining, screaming and talkingtalkingtalking, can send him into a tailspin.
One evening, all three of them were in rare form – probably fighting over something bizarre like a string of Mardi Gras beads or a handful of plastic straws. And the shrieks and complaints had the R2 in fits:
Kids: Scream, smack, howl
R2: Whir, chirp, beep-beep
Kate: Stop it – I want to see some nice sharing.
Kids: Shriek, push, sob
R2: Beep-beep-beep-beep, whir
Kate: I mean it – If you don’t stop fighting, I’m taking it away.
Kids: Shriek, smack, whine-whine-whine-whine
R2: Beeep-eep-eep, Whirrrrrrrrr-chirp
Kate: Okay that’s it – everyone is getting a time out!
Kids: ScreamCryScremCryScreamCry
R2: ChirpWhirChirpWhirChirpWhirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…..
Kate: Stopit…Stopit…Stopit… YOU’RE UPSETTING R2!
True story. I actually said that. And I meant it. And the kids must have appreciated the gravity of the situation, as they immediately piped down and looked at poor R2.
George loves R2 the most though.
He’s always the one to seek R2 out. He even makes up voice commands that don’t actually exist. I have no idea where he heard this, but one of his favorite things to yell at R2 is “activate!” But when he yells it, it sounds like “adivate!” Needless to say, R2 doesn’t recognize this command but he does respond with some gratifying whirring and chirping noises. George has figured out the “patrol” command, so he also likes to yell “R2 – Troll!“
He also confounds the robot with this weird “woo-hoo’ing” thing he’s been doing lately. This would be less of a “wah-hoo” and more of a “yoo-hoo.” Seriously – it’s like having a little old lady in the house with us. But when George calls “woo-hoo!” in his supersonically pitched falsetto, R2 doesn’t come running as he is expected to. Apparently, there is no voice command for “woo-hoo.”
Sadly, R2 is starting to slow down. He sits and whirs for long stretches of time and his patrols are rather short lived these days… We suspect that it’s time to change the batteries again. Who knows how long it will take to get around to it… My guess is that R2 will be back to marionette movements orchestrated by the boys before we juice him up again. But by then, we will really have to as by then, we will most likely be semi-insane from listening to George’s futile attempts to “adivate” R2. “Woo-hoo!“
Oh my god how awesome is that! I need to send this to my brother – I’m sure he and his kids would just love it. Woo-hoo!
P.S. Hope you have a fabulous birthday!
That is soooooo cool.
do you remember the apollo earrings giveaway from leah sakellarides on joanna’s blog a few weeks ago?! well leah is giving away another beautiful piece this week on my blog, macaroni club! she is so talented, and so sweet to do this! i’d like to invite you to come visit macaroni club, and if you like this piece of leah’s, sign up to win it!
xo… sarah
I want that robot! omg!
Not putting batteries in is good for their imaginations! (See? Validated. You can feel good about being lazy now.)
Oooo, I heart R2, seriously. Can I play with him too? When is my turn gonna be next? No fair, you had him the longest! ::pout::
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Hope you enjoy your day.
P.S. Don’t get too weirded out. I found you at SiTS.
I totally want one now. Really, I NEED an R2.
I need to get one of those. For my, uh… friends kid, I mean.
Um, where did you get it? I have a boy of my own who might love that… nevermind that he’s 26…
Stopping by from SITS to wish you a Happy Birthday!! Hope you and
R2D2 have a wonderful day! That was too funny :)
Looks like fun! Does he sweep the floors, too?
oh my gosh! that is the coolest thing ever!!! I want one!!
Those pictures are hilarious. I know I’d trip over that thing and probably to my death.
It must’ve been invented for blog fodder.
So funny!
Happy Birthday! I hope it’s a great day!
we have one of those. happily he has been quiet and still in the corner for a very long time.
How cute.
Kate forgot to mention that R2 has a cupholder…
“You’re upsetting R2!” – That’s classic!
From the comments, it sounds like you have a birthday coming up. Happy Birthday!
Ha ha ha!!!
I think I’m gonna have to get R2 for Hubs for his birthday. lol
I may very well start saying “You’re upsetting R2” from now on when I have to break up something the boys are doing! My boys would be mad for that robot.
That is so cool! I love it! It’s like having a dog, without all the poop, pee and hair.
Maybe my kids will hold out longer on a dog, if we get them an R2D2…
BTW, my word verification is “whiza”. Thought that was sort of appropriate for this post.
I hope my grandson doesn’t see one of these. He already has several big robots that he doesn’t play with. This one sounds like I would enjoy it though.
That is an awesome present and apparently a good way to get the kids to calm down. You definitely don’t want to upset R2,
I love it! I want one. But who wouldn’t want one after this post!?
I want one too! I had no idea they even made those.
Your robot sounds awesome. And George looks absolutely adorable.
I laughed out loud when I read about you saying, “you’re upsetting R2.” Classic!
You’re upsetting R2! Awesome.
It’s like when you’ve got kids in the room with you and you’re trying to do the voice command things on the phone. It never works.
Hey—isn’t it your birthday? Didn’t I read that on SITS? And you didn’t write about it?
Not a vain bone in your body–uh, uh.
Hope you had a great day!!!!
I love R2! I could use him to at work to keep my annoying coworkers at bay! Sign me up!
What a cool robot. My husband would go crazy for one of those
OMG! I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!! I so want one!! And I can justify purchases like this now by saying it’s for Arwen, right?! She’ll be big enough for it one day, but in the meantime Mommy and Daddy can keep R2 entertained! :)
What an awesome toy!
I use awesome so much with my boys that it’s become an annoying staple in my vocabulary. “That’s an awesome robot, lego tower, race car ramp etc.” My son’s but love saying it so I join right in.
They would FREAK if they saw that R2D2 especially since my oldest son now knows about Star Wars.
Cool grandparents!
Oh ya, cool is another one of our favorite words.
Awesome! I love that you have a new member of the family and I would have died to see George and R2 banter back and forth.
If the baby thing doesn’t work out for Steve and I we were thinking of getting another dog, but the R2 thing might be a cooler option.
Thanks for spending time on our blog BTW. I was touched by the story you told. Actually, it means a lot and I appreciate that.
Jeve (aka John and Steve)
My kids would go absolutely crazy for that! Cra-zy.
This is hilarious and love that you got them to calm down telling them that they’re upsetting R2. Brilliant parenting.
I think I may try that “you’re upsetting R2” line. If for no other reason than to make myself laugh. Love it.
What a cool toy. It’s like ‘you’re upsetting the dog’ except without all the hair and poop clean up.
Maybe R2 has aged rapidly due to all the action around him. He might not need a new battery but a hip replacement
This post made me want one and I have all girls!!
Oh my god, I need that. NEED.
I can’t decide which is funnier–that you said R2 was getting upset or that your children care about his (its?) emotional needs.
Want! Want! Want! Does it take a million and six batteries? It looks like he would.
I would love to give this to my kids. They would lose their minds.