Have you heard the news? Thirteen years after the original won an Academy Award for Best Animated Picture, the sequel to Finding Nemo is hitting the big screens (due out 2016).

Given the theatrics of the 2003 elementary age clownfish, one can only assume poor Marlon has one hell of a rebellious teenage fish. Or maybe Nemo is now a father of his own accord and karma is rearing its ugly head. “Come find me now, funny fish!”

Finding Nemo 2: Breaking Curfew.

The muppets will be 6. This will be perfect. They are going to see it with me. Whether they like it or not. Because we’ve now seen Finding Nemo (the first time) … let me see, three or more times a day for two months … 973,000 times.

Cars, Up, The Incredibles, Toy Story (1-3), Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Thomas the Tank, baseball – all vehemently vetoed. FISHIES!!!

I ventured out to the store, toting muppets behind me in the little red wagon. We were all a little tired (having been up all night with the ghosts), but I thought a chocolate milk would keep them happy. (And then mommy got a sippy cup filled with caffeine-y goodness all to herself.)

We piled our plunder onto the grocery store conveyor belt. The cashier began to scan while I turned to (sternly) remind muppets that straws stay IN the chocolate milk – not pulled out of the cup and spit at ones brother. I don’t care how funny it is.

When I looked back up the cashier was staring at me. “Cash or credit?” she asked a bit annoyed.

Oops, I think she may have already asked me that once – or four times.

“Sorry,” I mumbled rifling through my wallet. “The sea monkey has my money.”

She stared at me blankly. Coffee, bananas and breadsticks. She clearly thought I was high. (Those poor children. It’s a good thing they have such talented milk-spewing-through-straw ability.)

I shot an apologetic look at the woman behind me in line. (Please forgive me for being *that* woman. I assure you you’ve just caught me on a milk-spewing-through-straw kind of day.)

She smiled. “It’s ok. I’m a natural blue.”

I grinned. “Toddlers?”

“Two.”

“They love their fishies.”

“Shark Bait. Ooh Ah Ah!”

The cashier, still with a very blank look on her face, now had a great story to sum up her day. Two crazy ladies – probably high – In. A. Row.

I’ve clearly discovered the secret toddler mom verbal handshake. Be in the know. Use liberally. Bring coffee.