Happy 19-months to Mr. Wito Whoorlito. He’s a catch.
This is how we spent the morning. So, um, maybe this photo would be a better example of Wito’s current age.
“BROWN! BROWN!” Yes, sweetie, it’s brown, but possibly petrified shit. Please refrain from placing in your mouth.
Bonus points for anyone who can tell me what those round, spiky balls that fall from trees are called. SAJ calls them “dingleberries”. Unfortunately, I grew up with an ENTIRELY different definition of a dingleberry, and can’t bring myself to yell, “Wito! Quit eating the that dingleberry!” at our local park.
Heather Cook
March 4, 2008 at 12:48 pmI’m not sure what those are called, but I do know they hurt when thrown at someone.
Angella
March 4, 2008 at 12:53 pmIt will not be long before the girls are calling him day and night!
Nineteen months already? I remember waiting for the dude to enter the world!
Jen O.
March 4, 2008 at 1:00 pmIf you lived in Canada, I’d say that was for sure an acorn in it’s spikey protective shell. But I don’t know if oak trees are common in your area.
Otherwise, it’s a dingleberry.
I’m going to start telling my dog he has an acorn on his butt when he comes in from doing his bid-ness.
Coincidentally, he choked and nearly died eating a dingleberry (a spikey-shelled acorn). This is getting confusing.
bethany actually
March 4, 2008 at 1:02 pmThose are all over our part of Maryland. When we moved here I was told they’re called gumballs.
amanda
March 4, 2008 at 1:02 pmhttp://www.wildwnc.org/education/trees/sweetgum-liquidambar-styraciflua-hamamelidaceae-witch-hazel-family
That site called them “beaklike capsules”, I like gumballs better! And boy do they ever hurt when you step on them barefoot after they turn brown.
SAJ
March 4, 2008 at 2:03 pmSometimes we call them “prickle berries” or just plain “prickers”… which is especially good when you step on one with bare feet and can exclaim something along the lines of, “dad gum pricker!” or something else…
I’m so glad I’m getting famous on your blog for this.
lini
March 4, 2008 at 2:06 pmI can’t believe Wito is already 19 months. Where has the time gone? He reminds me so of his Mom.
am'ti b
March 4, 2008 at 2:11 pmoh my goodness, i can’t wait to see you wito. that is not what a dingleberry is to me either.
whitney
March 4, 2008 at 4:16 pmoakballs!
Christina
March 4, 2008 at 6:07 pmIt’s a MONKEY BALL, from a Sweet Gum tree!! Well atleast that is what we call them here in Delaware. Dingleberry is a fun name too.
My yard is constantly covered in them, my kids were collecting them today in their grocery carts!
Happy 19 months!!
molly
March 4, 2008 at 7:16 pmare you telling me those AREN’T prickely-pricks??? Because that is the only thing I am capable of calling them…they fall from the …prickely-prick trees. Duh.
Leigh
March 4, 2008 at 6:29 pmYep, those are the spiny balls of the lovely sweetgum tree. A tree with beautiful fall color and dangerous fruit. They also have their friends the Sycamore golf balls that when stepped on completely fall apart and the little feathery seeds fly everywhere. So glad I can put my landscape designer knowledge to some good use!
Molly says Happy 19 month birthday to her fellow Aug. 4th baby!
And I’m with you…dingleberry has a totally different meaning around here too. ewwww.
brooke
March 4, 2008 at 7:31 pmthey are called sweet gumballs. not just gumballs. i can’t imagine trying to chomp through one of those after they roll out of a gumball machine…
Crystal
March 4, 2008 at 9:23 pmI can’t believe I am the first to say this!! But although sweetgum balls is close……here in Texas (where every other friggan tree is a sweetgum) we call them Gum BURRS…ya know, because of the burrs?
So…to recap: SweetGum tree…drops gum burrs. That way there is no confusion about gross things that hang on to, well, you know…….or with wonderful things like GumBalls that are tastey. GumBurrs, not tastey or disgusting…..just fun for kids!
MO
March 5, 2008 at 6:31 amYes, I am going with Gumballs.