This is “esquilo” which literally means squirrel in Portuguese. Esquilo is completely trying to mess with my daily routine and set my kids into meltdown mode on the daily. Last weekend we opened the door to drive to school and Emma yelled “oh no esquilo ate Maia’s pumpkin” which to a three year old Maia might as well have meant that her world was ending. All of our nice lined up painted pumpkins were fine with the exception ofMaia’s. Hers had a hole in it. She began crying real tears. Hardly understanding why he picked her pumpkin. I quickly defused the situation with bribing Maia with a new pumpkin and we moved on with our morning routine off to school. We’ve since purchased two additional pumpkins to prevent esquilo from eating everything. Dude has to get full at some point right? Wrong. Last night we opened the door to wait for dad to come home and who was an arm’s length away going to town on the pumpkin but esquilo. He was completely unphased with not one, not two, but FOUR people staring at him. So I videoed as this 4 inch creature stared all of us down while crushing our pumpkins. The girls were at first horrified. Maia kept saying “mommy I used to like esquilo now I think he’s mean” which I had to explain that not all squirrels are mean (even though I might be lying) and that this squirrel is behaving badly and he might need a time out. As I was explaining this to her this brazen 4 legged creature jumped up onto the step closer to us looked us in the eye and made me feel like he was larger than a grizzly bear. Now I have to admit we were all behind a shut ​

​tight glass door but I felt a little uneasy and for a second thought we may need to call 911. The typical 5 and 3 year old high pitch screeches proceeded and esquilo remained un phased until I finally opened the door and “shooed” him away. On to make dinner which is always a struggle of the evening and the girls sat at the table while cautiously looking toward the door. I was convinced he was done but he kept coming back, and coming back, and coming back. When dad got home the girls jumped with excitement explaining how this time esquilo ate HIS pumpkin not theirs or mine and erupted into chaos until bedtime. They were in utter disbelief that esquilo could be so hungry and so very bad. Where’s his mom and dad?? We managed to all calm down and move on with the night, however, first thing this morning we were right back into the esquilo profiles opening the door set to find him partaking in a feast fit for squirrel royalty. I made breakfast while they stood “guarding” the door (chairs set up at the front door watching). Wouldn’t you know two minutes later they erupted into screams “mommy daddy esquilo brought a friend” and sure enough this little terrorizer brought reinforcements. Are you kidding me? Not on my land you nut eating ravenous monster. Who do you think you are? We quickly opened the door and shooed them both away. The girls sat and ate breakfast once again amused by the escapades of esquilo. I have to admit I was giggling a little as well. This little creature is just owning our pumpkins and all of us while he’s at it.