Blah Blah Babycakes

The Hunger Site - Click to Give

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

No doubt I'll have plenty of food, but not everyone is so lucky.

The Hunger Site has helped feed the hungry all over the world.  Please visit and click the yellow button to provide food for someone in need.

Eavesdropping

There was a crazy woman sitting behind me at the indoor playground talking to her friend about what an awesome mom she was and how well-behaved her two young boys were.  I totally listened in.

I got to hear her daily schedule, which was broken down into 1-hour increments, "From 7:00-8:00 we eat breakfast, then an hour of clean-up and chores..." She explained a complicated reward chart system that involved several different colored dots that could earn the kids some time on the family computer or television.  She calls it "screen time".  She claimed that if the boys started to misbehave she need only mention taking away their special one-hour of video games they are allowed to play on Friday nights and they would immediately comply. Watching too much TV wasn't an issue in her house, "There's just no time for it with all of the activities and I just don't want them seeing all those commercials." DVDs are for long car trips only, although she did admit to once letting them watch a movie on a short trip to the store.  That was just one time though. Once.

It wasn't until she bragged about toilet training her son in ONE DAY by putting the potty chair in the middle of the kitchen during a birthday party, that I knew she was truly crazy and a liar. When I finally turned around to get a look at this lady I expected to see Bree Hodge from Desperate Housewives, but instead saw a frumpy mom who should consider adding lipstick and mascara to her tight schedule.

My friend and I exchanged wide-eyed looks and couldn't contain our giggles as this woman went on and on about, what I considered, her very rigid life.  People like her exist? Wow. And my friends think I'm uptight. (Really, if you exist call me! I want to be your intern.)

I imagined her horror upon witnessing a day at my house. I imagined her not having any friends. And even though I was mocking her, I secretly wanted to send my defiant Henry to her house for boot camp.

Henry would do well with her stringent rules. He is most successful when there are clear plans and a schedule to follow. Unfortunately he was born to a mother who functions on laziness and thinks bottom freezers are brilliant because they allow him to make his own frozen waffles in the morning.  Henry's sensitive nature demands a structure that my laid-back, laissez faire attitude can't always provide for him.  However, we are stuck with one another and seeing that I'm the adult I should probably step up and take a lesson or two from Crazy Indoor Park Lady.

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This Is Hardcore

I fell off the wagon.  I'm back into parenting books and I'm just coming off a bender. 

Henry is hanging out at clubs and living a rock n' roll lifestyle.  I think our family needs an intervention.  Who would you call?  Dr. Phil?  Supernanny?  Oprah?

Henry at First Avenue Nightclub

Who's The Boss?

At Henry's last pre-school conference his teachers told us that Henry has really emerged as a leader over the past six months.  They told us how he organizes group play and enjoys assigning tasks to his friends.

I felt quite proud hearing this news, but realized a few days later, while observing him at the playground that although you could use the word leader, others might just say "really bossy".

Henry's ability to make up games for kids to play is impressive, but he's often left alone on top of the jungle gym shouting out his complex rules to kids who have decided to play with someone less controlling.  My guess is that they would rather run around aimlessly then play according to Henry's strict plan.  He's still too young to understand that he's been rejected, but I fear he'll soon realize. 

These characteristics will certainly serve him well as an adult, but he'll need to learn some social finesse to weather grade school.  I was a bossy kid too, but always savvy enough to choose friends who wanted and needed my guidance.  Henry's growing up to be a stereotypical "only child".  A mini-adult.  Already I feel sorry for his future partner.  The sorry soul who will fall in love with a boy who slept with his mommy until he was 10. 

Hallefrickenlujah

Can you find me in this picture?  Obama had just been elected President of the United States and I'm gasping with my hand over my mouth.  The tears of joy came next.  Extra points if you can spot Nick celebrating with a fist pump.

More Celebrating

This wasn't a victory for liberals, but for all of America. 

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Merry Christmas or something

I don't know what I'm going to do with myself after today.  I've spent the last three months reading political blogs and staring at polls.  There will surely be some kind of withdrawal.  Delirium tremors and sweating as I search for something else to focus on. 

It's a highly charged day and it feels as though it took forever to get here.  I'll be watching the election results unfold at a hotel downtown in the very same suite where Obama asked Joe Biden to be his running mate. I'll be celebrating as we elect a new President who will undue the damage that has been done to our country.

Vote your hopes, Not your fears

Happy Election Day!

Happy Halloween

Since our neighborhood sucks when it comes to Halloween I didn't even bother to try this year.  I couldn't take the disappointment again so we crossed the tracks and went to our friend's house.  They live among people who understand the rules and customs of the holiday and can afford cool things like smoke machines.   The also hand out beer and wine to the grown-ups, which is only polite.

I let my little Clone Trooper stay up too late and eat too much candy and so today he's actually more like Darth Vader.

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