Not long after discovering Richard Armitage, I stumbled across his lovely Bedtime Hour children’s storytelling episodes on YouTube, and soon after I had my daughter hooked, too. She’s three years old, and a proud member of the Armitage Army, CBeebies Division.
In keeping with the CBeebies script, Richard always starts off with “Hello, I’m Richard.” I’m not sure whether it’s his British accent that throws her, or just a kid thing, but she’s believed his name is “Swisher” from the get-go, and insists that we both call him by the especially sexy moniker of “Swisher Twinkle Stars”.
* * *
Several months ago, Hubby emerged from our daughter’s bedroom after reading her bedside story, completely baffled.
Hubby: “Have any idea what she means by ‘Swishers Stories’?”
I feigned confusion. “‘Swishers’?”
Hubby: “She made several requests for ‘Swishers Stories’… but I looked at every title on both kids’ shelves and I have no idea what that is. Maybe something at the grandparents’?”
Having a pretty good idea of what our child was after, and totally relating to her craving, I told Hubby that I would handle it. I entered our daughter’s bedroom with my smart phone, dialed up “Richard Armitage CBeebies Bedtime Hour” on my Youtube app, and was the instant hero. Poor Daddy, ineffectually searching the bookshelves for who knows how long. LOL!
Daughter: “Oh! I love Swisher’s stories!” (That’s funny, I have the very same reaction!) I asked her what she loves about them, and that’s when she told me her number one reason. “I love his Twinkle Stars! Swisher has Twinkle Stars on his wall!” (OK, so I hadn’t ever noticed those. I seem to have been more focused on Swisher’s torso and arms, displayed ever-so-nicely in tight shirts. I may have also been ogling some long muscular legs in faded jeans, and admiring his expressive hands….)
* * *
Ever since that conversation, our daughter has refered to him as Swisher Twinkle Stars, because in her experience, “Swisher’s Stories” was just not specific enough, since Daddy couldn’t find them. The other day, however, new information rocked her world. Our desktop homescreen still features Hubby’s Crucible Poster joke, and in the past, our daughter has mentioned observations along the lines of “That man looks like my Daddy! But I think that man is meaner than Daddy.” Then the other day, for the first time, she asked who the “mean man” was.
I answered with “His name is Richard Armitage”, but she apparently heard “His name is Swisher Armitage”, because that mutinous expression of a three-year old who’s been told an ugly falsehood immediately came over her face.
“Mommy! That’s not Swisher! Swisher has Twinkle Stars and he’s NOT MEAN!”
(My bad. I guess John Proctor doesn’t float her boat quite like Swisher Twinkle Stars.)
I didn’t have the heart to correct her. So I reiterated the “Richard” part, clearly enunciating the difference between “RRRich-arddd” and “SWishh-er” … and all was right in her world again.
this is the cutest thing EVER!! and I think Richard would get a kick out of this too. I kind of want to call him “Swisher” now too…
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He probably would! He may never have realized just how attractive his Twinkle Stars could be!
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Swisher Twinkle Stars….love it! Thank goodness you cleared up the name mix up for her. I’m looking forward to a follow up post when she becomes older and realizes who Richard Armitage (aka Swisher Twinkle Stars) is. That was a great story.
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Haha! The day will come eventually. I hope she can cope with such a life-altering revelation!
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Reblogged this on Nowhere in Particular RA and commented:
A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!! Swisher Twinkle Stars…
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This is brilliant! Guylty, we need a new badge! 😉
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LOL. Damn, so scrap Hermitage 😀
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Or a special shrine! =)
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A CBeebies shrine has long been on my list, and I have already collected bits for it… just sayin’…
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Oh, goodie! You know it Really Must Have Twinkle Stars!
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You have no idea how many twinkly stars I have collected!!! I have been inunandated with twinkly stars of all sizes, sparkly colours and pointy shapes *ggg*…
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awwwww, you should ask him to sign a picture for her as Swisher Twinkle Stars :-)) obviously not one of Proctor :-p
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LOL! I bet he’s had stranger requests! That really would be hilarious! But if he actually complied and signed “Swisher” for her, there would be no hope for me. I’d be more foolishly besotted than ever…
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THAT should not stop you, think of the kid 😉 one must do everything for ones children! ( bet he’d absolutely adore the idea! 🙂 )
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Love this!! My young daughter has been a big fan of “Swisher” stories for two years now 🙂
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Swisher-fandom is no hardship for moms… unlike Barney, Elmo and Dora!
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Only be happy you avoided the Teletubbies!
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I only WISH I had avoided the Teletubbies. =)
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I fell into the trap with my son, made my banning wishes known to all with my daughter…only to walk in and bust my mother watching it with her…the allure of TubbieCustard knows no bounds apparently.
You have my sympathy!
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I love “Swisher Twinkle Stars” as his name. Your daughter is very smart!
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Fits him to a tee. She nailed it. Lol!
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Reblogged this on richardtreehouse and commented:
VERY cute story or how RA became known as Swisher Twinkle Stars.
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Richard Armitage (Code name “Swisher”)…..this anecdote is as adorable as it can get. Loved it!
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Code name “Swisher”! Rofl… it does have a fresh ring to it, doesn’t it?
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Yes, but it’s the Twinkle Stars that seals the deal 😉
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I never thought that I would ever wish to have young kids again, but this cute story makes me want to pop a couple of babies again *ggg*. What a cutie. And swisher is absolutely right. She’s got it down to a tee – he is wonderfully swish and twinkly. Fantastic story, and well told. Thanks for this!
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Isn’t that weird how every now and then the urge to have another comes along? Then an hour later you smack yourself. =)
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LOL. Yes!!!!!!!! Whenever the urge is too strong I offer to babysit my 4-yr-old goddaughter for a weekend. Instant cure 😀
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I buy animals instead. I have 4 cats…2 birds…a 40 gallon fish tank..LOL!
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Sounds legit 😀
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I’ve had Animal Accumulation Syndrome for years now. I specialize in Aquatic Animal Accumulation Syndrome.
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I’m pretty sure my heart just exploded with happiness and twinkle stars 🙂 You have a wonderful daughter and husband and I think I’m falling in love with all of you 😀
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I’m pretty sure my heart exploded with happiness and twinkle stars when she first came up with that name, too! LOL- and you haven’t met my 6 year old. Yet. Actually, I guess he did appear briefly in the helicopter post…He’s the funniest one of the whole bunch! One of these days I may need to do a compilation of his greatest hits…. =)
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This really is the cutest RA story ever…. funny how I never noticed the “twinkle stars” either ;D
My favorite part, though, is her comments about the computer desktop pics! Just priceless!
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You mean about how that man looks meaner than her Daddy? Lol. Yeah, that’s Richard Armitage. The meanest ever.
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Yes, that part…. and how angry she got with you about implying Swisher could possibly be “that mean man”. (Yes, I’d take a whole world full of men THAT mean 🙂
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I know. It was righteous indignation!
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This story is so priceless!! But now I need to check– Are those twinkle stars only there for Swisher’s stories? Or perhaps you haven’t shared any other Cbeebies shows?
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*Coughs* We’re, ah… exclusively Swisher when it comes to CBeebies. I would imagine the Twinkle Stars are part of the set!
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This is *so* precious! I laughed all the way through, not only at your narrative but all the wonderful comments above. The name is totally appropriate I think. I’m from Scotland and when we described someone as being “swish” it meant they were well dressed and looked good!
I’m a huge fan of CBeebies and even though I’m a great-grandmother I still can’t resist going back every now and then to watch them all over again. Hard to pick a favourite but have a distinct penchant for “Trouble at the Dinosoar Cafe” when Richard speaks in a Scottish accent! *sigh*
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I never heard of that meaning for the word “swish”… it fits Richard more than I knew! Until now, Swisher was a brand of cigar… lol. If I had to pick a favorite, it would have to be “I’m Not Going Out There” – but Dinosaur Café is a close second!
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I, ah, might have made a t-shirt logo for the junior members of the “army,” and my daughter might be on her second one (having outgrown the first and demanded a new one) 🙂
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A mom must do everything possible to encouRAge her daughter! I want to see that t-shirt logo! lol
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See, that’s what I’m sayin’!
Link to pic of logo…
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She’s adorable! And I love the shirt… now I may have to copy this idea. My Sugar Bug would love to have a Swisher Twinkle Stars shirt =)
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I made it up in MSWord and just printed it onto a printable iron on transfer sheet…voila :). She loves her bling and her RA!
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Hobby store, here I come! ROFL I just had an idea for one for my son, too. Involving Hubby’s Crucible Poster Joke. “Who’s Your Daddy?”
OK, scratch that. Daddy might not appreciate it as much as Mommy.
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That pic is adorable, O, and her book made me immediately think of his Thorin Lego tweet – YOU know “the one” 😀
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Oh, if only Swisher would have had the thrilling opportunity to tell “Everyone Poops” for CBeebies Bedtime Hour. That would have been right up his alley. =)
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Yes, J, he would have clearly been up for that….. probably could have been a great toilet training tool 🙂
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That would have made potty training ever so much more enjoyable for Mommy… =)
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That was the whole point 😉
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I think this is my favorite “fangirl” story ever! Your daughter sounds adorable.
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She loves Swisher with a pure heart! And his Twinkle Stars, too. =)
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I LOVE THIS STORY!!!
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It’s so funny how defensive she became when Swisher’s good character was besmirched by the suggestion that he might be that mean man! She’s just as goofy over him as the rest of us =)
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Wow, this could be a marketing lesson — I think this is just exactly what the BBC hopes to achieve. Little children made happy, moms made … well… another version of happy. LOL.
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Yeah, it’s always enlightening to ask a little kid what exactly they like about this or that. Who would have thought she’d request Swisher mainly for his Twinkle Stars? Yet the Twinkle Stars are the key to everything for her. If only the makers of the abovementioned Teletubbies, who also apparently know the secret ingredient to small child engagement, could have come up with “another version of happy” for the moms… =)
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