I'm behind on my photo posting, I know, I know. They will come, as soon as I rouse my lazy behind to edit the rest of them. In the meantime, here are some things:
1) This past weekend was a flurry of house projects that required the kids to "entertain themselves" (aka complain and mess shit up), back-to-school shopping, laundry, and pool time. By the end of the day Sunday, the house was a disaster. M. and I agreed that night that it was a damn good thing that it was not a "cleaning lady" week, because there is no way we could get the house in order by Tuesday morning.
Except we were all screwed up from being on vacation, and it apparently WAS a cleaning lady week. OOPS! Now she knows how we really live. So embarrassing. Also, the poor thing cleaned up so many of our messes, and we didn't even leave her a check. I feel terrible. But I'm also completely surprised that this is the first time in over 4 years that we have made this mistake. So, bright side?
2) In a growing panic over the thought of not watching a lick of football this season, M. went out and bought a new antenna to try - something designed for the military, apparently. This thing. We now have over 20 broadcasted stations on our basement TV (where we do all our evening TV watching), including FOX, NBC, CBS, and ABC. And also a bunch of crappy other stations. M. is watching a Ravens game as I type (blergh), and I'm thrilled at the prospect of actually watching The Good Wife and How I Met Your Mother in decent quality (streaming to the TV from a computer just isn't that good). He may not catch much of his beloved Badgers this year, but at least we can now watch the Super Bowl.
3) If they gave out degrees in "getting the last drop of wine out of the wine box," I would be at the top of the class.
4) I'm seeing a podiatrist right now. God, doesn't that make me seem old? I FEEL old. I even have orthotics I'm supposed to wear. That doesn't fly with cute dress shoes, though - I can't seem to fit them in my most of my existing shoes without entering severe blister territory. You don't even want to know the kinds of desperate Google searches I've been doing lately - "orthotics for heels," "orthotics for dress shoes," "dress shoes with removable inserts," "orthotic shoes," "shoes with arch support,"... it's so depressing. God I'm so old. I have plantar fasciitis, which Dr. Google told me, and then my podiatrist confirmed. Score one for Dr. Google! Anyway, it's depressing because I haven't been able to run much at all without at least 24 hours of intense pain afterward. But I think it's getting better? My mom bought me this foot stretcher thing, which seems to be helping. That's how you get rid of it, by the way (though you're always at risk for it coming back) - by stretching the crap out of your calves and feet. I can now say my left foot is LIMBER - sexy, no?
By the way, my podiatrist's name is Dr. Footer. Reminds me of how the anesthesiologist that administered my epidural when Finn was born was named Dr. Payne.
I can't even make this stuff up.
5) I did squeeze in a short jog two nights ago, and decided that this is my new favorite running song:
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis's "Can't Hold Us."
Finn introduced us to the song, and knows far more of the words than we do. It's ridiculously adorable to watch him singing it.
Lucy's favorite song right now is this one (we downloaded the clean version to our iTunes library):
Icona Pop's "I Love It" - also a super catchy, good-for-running song.
6) Tomorrow marks the end of my "Furlough Fridays." In good news for my paycheck and bad news for all my PLANS, the DoD decided to cut short the civilian furlough, from 11 days to 6. I had so many things I was going to do with that time! But also, I was feeling so broke! So this is really for the best, and I do think that I made the most of my furlough days. Even though too much of it was spend scrubbing grout (because any grout scrubbing is too much).
Anyway, in celebration of the last furlough day (and because he's been working so hard lately), M. is taking tomorrow off, too, and we're going to spend it together. We are heading in to D.C. for lunch and a visit to the National Portrait Gallery, where my friend Jen's work is part of an exhibit - she won second place in a national portrait competition! I'm so excited to see it, and to have a grown-up day with M. while the kids are at daycare...
7) ...where they will be showing off "their" science project. And by their, I mean the one they helped with a little bit. Or a tinsy bit, as the kids are fond of saying. A study on different conditions that grow mold on bread. Mostly conceived and executed by yours truly and M., in exactly the kind of dick parent's move that I hate. But who are we kidding - when prompted for Ideas, Finn suggested some really complicated thing, as always, and Lucy studiously ignored us. So instead, the bread mold project. And as I type, there are 9 baggies of moldy bread affixed to a piece of poster board up on my living room couch.
Ah, learning.
Showing posts with label television. Show all posts
Showing posts with label television. Show all posts
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Day 1
I'm easing back in - to blogging, to running, to doing things other than scouring the Internet for the latest and greatest funny blog post to read or backsplash tile to ogle. I feel like I've been taking the passive, easy way out of EVERYTHING lately, and I'd like to stop. Or start, rather. So, onward. Seizing life, etc.
I jogged tonight. I felt like I was moving big lead rods through thick, goopy concrete. It was HARD, is what I'm saying. It's like I'm back at negative 20, not just zero. I also did three sets of eight "cheater" push-ups (where I lean against my stairs, removing about 60% of my body weight from my arms). It's a start.
In other news, we finished watching the new season of Arrested Development last night. Two episodes in, I was wondering if there was just no way for the show to live up to everyone's expectations. I was feeling very "meh" about it. But I must say, it got better and better with each episode. Two thumbs up from me - did you like it? I think the dark quirky humor is right up my alley these days. I heart Gob forever.
Am I the only one who seems to be struggling a bit to get into the carefree summer spirit? Blah.
I jogged tonight. I felt like I was moving big lead rods through thick, goopy concrete. It was HARD, is what I'm saying. It's like I'm back at negative 20, not just zero. I also did three sets of eight "cheater" push-ups (where I lean against my stairs, removing about 60% of my body weight from my arms). It's a start.
In other news, we finished watching the new season of Arrested Development last night. Two episodes in, I was wondering if there was just no way for the show to live up to everyone's expectations. I was feeling very "meh" about it. But I must say, it got better and better with each episode. Two thumbs up from me - did you like it? I think the dark quirky humor is right up my alley these days. I heart Gob forever.
Am I the only one who seems to be struggling a bit to get into the carefree summer spirit? Blah.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Three Really LONG Takes
Where do I even begin?
I've had all the best intentions of writing here over the last couple of weeks - so many great (in my mind!) blog post ideas, but zero follow-through. Instead, this will be a total jumble of updates and whatnot. Consider yourself warned.
1) First, you may be wondering how "Austerity" is going for us. How is life with no cable, limited Target access, little to no eating out? Well, here's the thing - we have cheated a little. We haven't managed to limit ourselves to one meal out a week. But in our defense, we HAVE decreased the frequency a smidgen, and we've increased the GUILT we feel when we do eat out. So kind of a wash, right? As far as Target goes, we have done pretty well - we've mainly stuck to our once-a-month goal. It's a bit misleading, though, because we do end up buying stuff here and there from other stores, like Walmart (gasp! though I hate shopping there, so I'm usually in and out without much fanfare) or the grocery store. But still, I chalk it up as a win. And finally - cable. We are still cable-free, and so far it hasn't been too rough (and the price savings had been GREAT). Though you may want to ask M. to weigh in on that - he was a bit despondent during the NCAA basketball tournament and the Masters. He seems OK now, but it may just be that he's completely given up hope on ever witnessing the thrill of a good game again. I have a feeling the despondency will be back when football season starts up, too.
Also, I will say that the lack of live TV, network or cable, has probably contributed to my infrequent blogging, weirdly enough. Our time in front of the TV is now very purposeful - we select a show to watch, and we watch it. And since these are all shows we are "invested" in, we feel obligated to pay attention. Gone are the days of throwing on HGTV to play in the background while I tool around on the internet. And clearly, gone are the days where M. will put on a baseball game that I can ignore while I blog beside him. There are no baseball games. THERE IS NO HGTV. Not unless I want to pay $1.99 an episode (I do not).
All in all, we are doing well with our goals, but not great. We ARE still making some "unnecessary" purchases, like some new clothes for me and - well, that's really all. I'm the only spoiled one. And we have some house expenses coming up - a mixture of planned and unplanned - that weren't part of the original plan (I'll get to those in a minute, or eventually, depending on how things go here). But we upped our contributions to our savings account by quite a bit, and we're still getting by, so that is a major step in the right direction. Single family home, you will be MINE one day!!
2) Chapter 2 of this novel is Finn. Can you believe school is over in two flipping days?!? I cannot. Finn, of course, can. According to him, the school year has been SO LONG. Said with heaving sigh full of emotion. But goodness, where has the time gone? How do I suddenly have a rising first grader?
I must say that all in all, he has had a really good year, and we couldn't be happier with his elementary school.* Yes, yes, he has had some behavior hiccups. But he HAS shown a lot of improvement in that area, and more than that, he has really gained a lot of confidence academically. Even as late as March or April, he was avowing that he could NOT read - no, uh uh, wouldn't even try. But NOW it's like he's a whole different kid. All it took was reading one or two simple books on his own, and he was off like a rocket. In March, he knew 40 of the 44 "Kindergarten words," and only 6 of the "First Grade words." As of May, he knew all 44 of the Kindergarten words, and 73 of the first grade words. This kid is on fire, and it's so wonderful to witness.
He is also fairly hysterical. I'm finally that mom that has ridiculously cute and funny things that her child has written for school assignments. They all got sent home with Finn today, so hopefully I'll bore you all by photographing them, posting them here, and translating (he may be able to read, but he is not a great speller yet).
By the way, did you know that our elementary school puts together a yearbook for purchase each year? We can buy a copy to treasure forever for the low, low price of $23. Flrpphtp. Really? It takes me back to the dim room off the cafeteria where a group of us poured over photos and layouts and design elements to product my senior yearbook. You know, when I was 18. Why on earth would a 6-year-old, or even an 11-year-old, need a yearbook to memorialize one year of elementary school? What poor person had to put this together? Is this something that happens in your area, too?
Anyway, Finn is so sweet and funny and charming and ah, six is such a great age! Really, I highly recommend it.
There have been a few articles floating around, bringing some attention back to the families affected by the Newtown, CT shooting 6 months ago - really moving, heart-wrenching articles. I can't help but read them, so shocked that someone could wipe out the lives of similarly wonderful, amazing, loving 6- and 7-year-olds. I have been showering Finn with hugs and kisses lately - I just can't help it. I can't imagine the pain those families feel, and yet I can, and my heart breaks thinking of all the "what ifs."
OK, don't want to be too much of a downer, so let's visit "the other hand." As in, Finn is SO great right now, but Lucy, on the other hand..."
3) Lucy, Lucy, Lucy. I had to go back and re-read some of the blog posts I wrote about 2 and a half years ago, to reassure myself that she isn't an especially psychotic child. Luckily (I think?), I was reminded by my past rantings about Finn that all four year olds are... (hmm, searching for non-four-letterish word here) challenging. Yes, particularly CHALLENGING. This too shall pass, amiright?
Some of the stuff she says to us.... and HOW she says it. Oh God, I am in for it. Yes, God with a capital G. This is my payback, and my mother will 100% back me up on this. Her mannerisms, her attempts to cut us to the quick - it's all me. She is me, 32 (or 22) years ago.
She already tells us we are the worst parents IN THE WORLD. Worst. That is a direct quote.
But oh goodness, I still love her so much, despite it all. And she gets just as many hugs and kisses as Finn, no worries there. Who could help it, really?
In more charming news, Lucy had her first "real" dance recital last weekend. She did have a small one back in December, but it was a simple deal and there were no costumes involved. This was the real thing - two costumes, stage make-up, a dress rehearsal, an audience full of dressed-up family members holding flowers, etc. Despite the fact that her class has been working on their two numbers since January, Lucy only knew about two steps of the tap number. This may not be her calling. And don't get me started on the lack of technique I saw in the older girls (does no one point a toe or straighten a knee these days?!?!? My former dance teachers would have cringed), so even if it is her calling (one day), this may not be the dance school we go with for the long haul. However, she did passably well during the ballet number, and looked damn cute in both costumes. Lucky for you, I captured the momentous occasion on film. With very poor videography skills, I might add.
Ballet was first. You should note that I accidentally focused on the wrong girls at first, because I was too busy looking through the camera screen to make sure I was in focus. Lucy is the third one from the right end of the line:
And here is the tap number. She spent a lot of time seemingly fiddling with her costume under her arms. Not sure what was going on there. If you ask her, she nailed it - got all the steps down. I'm pretty sure her feet didn't move. But again, cute. And maybe she was just REALLY nailing the ducky arms? Not sure. She's the fourth one from the right this time, though in a lot of the video it looks like she's third from right (I cut off the last girl in line):
And a few still photos from the event:
I have more to blog about (home renovations! Exercise! Recipes! Some other stuff I can't remember right now!), but I've run out of steam. It's late, and I'm tired. More soon, I hope.
*except for all the Chick Fil A fundraisers that were constantly shoved down our throats. I could have done with WAY less of that.
I've had all the best intentions of writing here over the last couple of weeks - so many great (in my mind!) blog post ideas, but zero follow-through. Instead, this will be a total jumble of updates and whatnot. Consider yourself warned.
1) First, you may be wondering how "Austerity" is going for us. How is life with no cable, limited Target access, little to no eating out? Well, here's the thing - we have cheated a little. We haven't managed to limit ourselves to one meal out a week. But in our defense, we HAVE decreased the frequency a smidgen, and we've increased the GUILT we feel when we do eat out. So kind of a wash, right? As far as Target goes, we have done pretty well - we've mainly stuck to our once-a-month goal. It's a bit misleading, though, because we do end up buying stuff here and there from other stores, like Walmart (gasp! though I hate shopping there, so I'm usually in and out without much fanfare) or the grocery store. But still, I chalk it up as a win. And finally - cable. We are still cable-free, and so far it hasn't been too rough (and the price savings had been GREAT). Though you may want to ask M. to weigh in on that - he was a bit despondent during the NCAA basketball tournament and the Masters. He seems OK now, but it may just be that he's completely given up hope on ever witnessing the thrill of a good game again. I have a feeling the despondency will be back when football season starts up, too.
Also, I will say that the lack of live TV, network or cable, has probably contributed to my infrequent blogging, weirdly enough. Our time in front of the TV is now very purposeful - we select a show to watch, and we watch it. And since these are all shows we are "invested" in, we feel obligated to pay attention. Gone are the days of throwing on HGTV to play in the background while I tool around on the internet. And clearly, gone are the days where M. will put on a baseball game that I can ignore while I blog beside him. There are no baseball games. THERE IS NO HGTV. Not unless I want to pay $1.99 an episode (I do not).
All in all, we are doing well with our goals, but not great. We ARE still making some "unnecessary" purchases, like some new clothes for me and - well, that's really all. I'm the only spoiled one. And we have some house expenses coming up - a mixture of planned and unplanned - that weren't part of the original plan (I'll get to those in a minute, or eventually, depending on how things go here). But we upped our contributions to our savings account by quite a bit, and we're still getting by, so that is a major step in the right direction. Single family home, you will be MINE one day!!
2) Chapter 2 of this novel is Finn. Can you believe school is over in two flipping days?!? I cannot. Finn, of course, can. According to him, the school year has been SO LONG. Said with heaving sigh full of emotion. But goodness, where has the time gone? How do I suddenly have a rising first grader?
I must say that all in all, he has had a really good year, and we couldn't be happier with his elementary school.* Yes, yes, he has had some behavior hiccups. But he HAS shown a lot of improvement in that area, and more than that, he has really gained a lot of confidence academically. Even as late as March or April, he was avowing that he could NOT read - no, uh uh, wouldn't even try. But NOW it's like he's a whole different kid. All it took was reading one or two simple books on his own, and he was off like a rocket. In March, he knew 40 of the 44 "Kindergarten words," and only 6 of the "First Grade words." As of May, he knew all 44 of the Kindergarten words, and 73 of the first grade words. This kid is on fire, and it's so wonderful to witness.
He is also fairly hysterical. I'm finally that mom that has ridiculously cute and funny things that her child has written for school assignments. They all got sent home with Finn today, so hopefully I'll bore you all by photographing them, posting them here, and translating (he may be able to read, but he is not a great speller yet).
By the way, did you know that our elementary school puts together a yearbook for purchase each year? We can buy a copy to treasure forever for the low, low price of $23. Flrpphtp. Really? It takes me back to the dim room off the cafeteria where a group of us poured over photos and layouts and design elements to product my senior yearbook. You know, when I was 18. Why on earth would a 6-year-old, or even an 11-year-old, need a yearbook to memorialize one year of elementary school? What poor person had to put this together? Is this something that happens in your area, too?
Anyway, Finn is so sweet and funny and charming and ah, six is such a great age! Really, I highly recommend it.
There have been a few articles floating around, bringing some attention back to the families affected by the Newtown, CT shooting 6 months ago - really moving, heart-wrenching articles. I can't help but read them, so shocked that someone could wipe out the lives of similarly wonderful, amazing, loving 6- and 7-year-olds. I have been showering Finn with hugs and kisses lately - I just can't help it. I can't imagine the pain those families feel, and yet I can, and my heart breaks thinking of all the "what ifs."
OK, don't want to be too much of a downer, so let's visit "the other hand." As in, Finn is SO great right now, but Lucy, on the other hand..."
3) Lucy, Lucy, Lucy. I had to go back and re-read some of the blog posts I wrote about 2 and a half years ago, to reassure myself that she isn't an especially psychotic child. Luckily (I think?), I was reminded by my past rantings about Finn that all four year olds are... (hmm, searching for non-four-letterish word here) challenging. Yes, particularly CHALLENGING. This too shall pass, amiright?
Some of the stuff she says to us.... and HOW she says it. Oh God, I am in for it. Yes, God with a capital G. This is my payback, and my mother will 100% back me up on this. Her mannerisms, her attempts to cut us to the quick - it's all me. She is me, 32 (or 22) years ago.
She already tells us we are the worst parents IN THE WORLD. Worst. That is a direct quote.
But oh goodness, I still love her so much, despite it all. And she gets just as many hugs and kisses as Finn, no worries there. Who could help it, really?
In more charming news, Lucy had her first "real" dance recital last weekend. She did have a small one back in December, but it was a simple deal and there were no costumes involved. This was the real thing - two costumes, stage make-up, a dress rehearsal, an audience full of dressed-up family members holding flowers, etc. Despite the fact that her class has been working on their two numbers since January, Lucy only knew about two steps of the tap number. This may not be her calling. And don't get me started on the lack of technique I saw in the older girls (does no one point a toe or straighten a knee these days?!?!? My former dance teachers would have cringed), so even if it is her calling (one day), this may not be the dance school we go with for the long haul. However, she did passably well during the ballet number, and looked damn cute in both costumes. Lucky for you, I captured the momentous occasion on film. With very poor videography skills, I might add.
Ballet was first. You should note that I accidentally focused on the wrong girls at first, because I was too busy looking through the camera screen to make sure I was in focus. Lucy is the third one from the right end of the line:
And here is the tap number. She spent a lot of time seemingly fiddling with her costume under her arms. Not sure what was going on there. If you ask her, she nailed it - got all the steps down. I'm pretty sure her feet didn't move. But again, cute. And maybe she was just REALLY nailing the ducky arms? Not sure. She's the fourth one from the right this time, though in a lot of the video it looks like she's third from right (I cut off the last girl in line):
And a few still photos from the event:
At home, post make-up but pre-costume
Primping in the dressing room before the ballet dance
Rubber duckie!!
I have more to blog about (home renovations! Exercise! Recipes! Some other stuff I can't remember right now!), but I've run out of steam. It's late, and I'm tired. More soon, I hope.
*except for all the Chick Fil A fundraisers that were constantly shoved down our throats. I could have done with WAY less of that.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Life Without Cable, Part I
I jotted down some notes about our initial experiences without cable:
Night 1 (Tuesday of this week): The bottom line? Suck. The cable was officially turned off today, and we can’t figure out how to get our TV to receive regular digital broadcasting. Seems we may need an antenna? Not sure. Ordered one from Amazon that will get here in two-ish days, pending the outcome of the “Snowquester” that is supposed to hit tonight. In the meantime, tried watching Suburgatory on abc.com. Major suck. The show stopped to buffer/load every 15 seconds or less. Gave up after 15 minutes of frustrating effort and only about 65 seconds of actual programming viewed. No TV tonight. This isn’t looking good, but I’m willing to admit it’s too soon to tell. On the plus side, I may find more time to read on my hands…
Night 2: An improvement, by far. Today was a snow day (that was lacking in much actual snow, sadly), and the kids spent a fair amount of time watching kid shows on Netflix through the Wii that is connected to the living room TV (did you know there was a She-Hulk? Like half the girls born in the ‘80’s, her name was Jennifer). In the evening, M. and I could have paid bills and finished our taxes, but instead we drank red wine, ate minty brownies (from scratch! I rock!), and watched mindless sitcoms. Since we are still Roku-less (UPS sissy-ed out on the whole “delivering in mildly wintry weather” situation), we hooked up the laptop to our TV with an HDMI cable and watched a couple of episodes of Modern Family and the Suburgatory episode I couldn’t get through the night before on Hulu Plus. Overall it worked pretty well (no buffering! Ha – the first time I typed that I wrote “buggering.” There was also no buggering, that’s true), but scenes with rapid movement were pretty jerky, especially on the Modern Family episodes. Overall, I consider it a win.
Night 3: The Roku has arrived. It is fairly simple to set up. Soon we are up and running and watching a couple of episodes of Raising Hope via Hulu Plus. There is no issue with any “jerky” scenes at all – an improvement over the night before.
Night 4: Since it’s a Friday, the kids get to watch TV after school. I fire up the Wii and launch Netflix. Finn is in time out (dude has SUCH an attitude lately!), so Lucy chooses first. We watch a 51 minute showing of various “Angelina Ballerina” episodes. She is enthralled, Finn less so. It is followed by a short episode of the Avengers. Both kids are mainly happy. Once they are in bed, Mark and I try hooking up our new antenna to the basement TV, which has just arrived. Based on where we are holding it, we can receive anywhere from 4 to 7 channels. These channels include NBC (spotty), Fox (very spotty), the CW, Qubo, and some other stuff I’ve never hear of like Ion and Ion Life. Cannot receive ABC or CBS. This is not looking good. We give up and decide to try the antenna on the living room TV tomorrow, and watch two episodes of the original Netflix series “House of Cards” instead. It’s pretty good, actually, with decent star power (Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright) (side note, did you know that M. has never seen Forrest Gump? I think that’s a crime). It’s kind of like West Wing without the witty banter.
Day/Night 5: Saturday morning is easy – the kids are fully entertained by the Avengers and whatnot available on Netflix. They also throw lots of fits when the TV gets turned off, which is both normal and super annoying. M. tries the new antenna on the living room TV and finds it gets the same seven channels the basement TV does. Suck. I don’t understand this, since when we first moved to this house and didn’t have cable yet, we got lots of digital TV channels – somehow, and neither one of us can remember how. I think we are doing something wrong. However, he tries the antenna with the TV up in our bedroom, and it gets about 20 channels, including the major networks. At least there is one room in the house where M. can watch some sports. At night we watch the remake of Footloose for free from Amazon Prime down in the basement. Despite my extreme love of and loyalty to the original, I can say that the remake is pretty good. The new Ren could never be as cool as Kevin Bacon, but he’s pretty good. Julianne Hough is just too cute to be Ariel – I don’t buy her “angry rebellion.” But it’s an enjoyable hour and forty minutes. We also spend some time searching the Roku to find more TV shows, and many of them disappointingly seem to be NOT FREE. Duck Dynasty (shut up, it’s entertaining), House Hunters, all of these seem to cost $1.99 an episode through Amazon. I need to explore online more, as this seems ridiculous to me. Why would an episode of House Hunters from 2002 cost me $1.99 when I’m already an Amazon Prime member? It does seem, though, that we could watch any number of Doctor Who episodes for free…
Now you have a little bit of insight into the sick amount of TV we watch. Also, clearly this is a process we are still trying to improve/perfect. Onward, eh?
Night 1 (Tuesday of this week): The bottom line? Suck. The cable was officially turned off today, and we can’t figure out how to get our TV to receive regular digital broadcasting. Seems we may need an antenna? Not sure. Ordered one from Amazon that will get here in two-ish days, pending the outcome of the “Snowquester” that is supposed to hit tonight. In the meantime, tried watching Suburgatory on abc.com. Major suck. The show stopped to buffer/load every 15 seconds or less. Gave up after 15 minutes of frustrating effort and only about 65 seconds of actual programming viewed. No TV tonight. This isn’t looking good, but I’m willing to admit it’s too soon to tell. On the plus side, I may find more time to read on my hands…
Night 2: An improvement, by far. Today was a snow day (that was lacking in much actual snow, sadly), and the kids spent a fair amount of time watching kid shows on Netflix through the Wii that is connected to the living room TV (did you know there was a She-Hulk? Like half the girls born in the ‘80’s, her name was Jennifer). In the evening, M. and I could have paid bills and finished our taxes, but instead we drank red wine, ate minty brownies (from scratch! I rock!), and watched mindless sitcoms. Since we are still Roku-less (UPS sissy-ed out on the whole “delivering in mildly wintry weather” situation), we hooked up the laptop to our TV with an HDMI cable and watched a couple of episodes of Modern Family and the Suburgatory episode I couldn’t get through the night before on Hulu Plus. Overall it worked pretty well (no buffering! Ha – the first time I typed that I wrote “buggering.” There was also no buggering, that’s true), but scenes with rapid movement were pretty jerky, especially on the Modern Family episodes. Overall, I consider it a win.
Night 3: The Roku has arrived. It is fairly simple to set up. Soon we are up and running and watching a couple of episodes of Raising Hope via Hulu Plus. There is no issue with any “jerky” scenes at all – an improvement over the night before.
Night 4: Since it’s a Friday, the kids get to watch TV after school. I fire up the Wii and launch Netflix. Finn is in time out (dude has SUCH an attitude lately!), so Lucy chooses first. We watch a 51 minute showing of various “Angelina Ballerina” episodes. She is enthralled, Finn less so. It is followed by a short episode of the Avengers. Both kids are mainly happy. Once they are in bed, Mark and I try hooking up our new antenna to the basement TV, which has just arrived. Based on where we are holding it, we can receive anywhere from 4 to 7 channels. These channels include NBC (spotty), Fox (very spotty), the CW, Qubo, and some other stuff I’ve never hear of like Ion and Ion Life. Cannot receive ABC or CBS. This is not looking good. We give up and decide to try the antenna on the living room TV tomorrow, and watch two episodes of the original Netflix series “House of Cards” instead. It’s pretty good, actually, with decent star power (Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright) (side note, did you know that M. has never seen Forrest Gump? I think that’s a crime). It’s kind of like West Wing without the witty banter.
Day/Night 5: Saturday morning is easy – the kids are fully entertained by the Avengers and whatnot available on Netflix. They also throw lots of fits when the TV gets turned off, which is both normal and super annoying. M. tries the new antenna on the living room TV and finds it gets the same seven channels the basement TV does. Suck. I don’t understand this, since when we first moved to this house and didn’t have cable yet, we got lots of digital TV channels – somehow, and neither one of us can remember how. I think we are doing something wrong. However, he tries the antenna with the TV up in our bedroom, and it gets about 20 channels, including the major networks. At least there is one room in the house where M. can watch some sports. At night we watch the remake of Footloose for free from Amazon Prime down in the basement. Despite my extreme love of and loyalty to the original, I can say that the remake is pretty good. The new Ren could never be as cool as Kevin Bacon, but he’s pretty good. Julianne Hough is just too cute to be Ariel – I don’t buy her “angry rebellion.” But it’s an enjoyable hour and forty minutes. We also spend some time searching the Roku to find more TV shows, and many of them disappointingly seem to be NOT FREE. Duck Dynasty (shut up, it’s entertaining), House Hunters, all of these seem to cost $1.99 an episode through Amazon. I need to explore online more, as this seems ridiculous to me. Why would an episode of House Hunters from 2002 cost me $1.99 when I’m already an Amazon Prime member? It does seem, though, that we could watch any number of Doctor Who episodes for free…
Now you have a little bit of insight into the sick amount of TV we watch. Also, clearly this is a process we are still trying to improve/perfect. Onward, eh?
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Happy 4th!!
This post is brought to you by a bottle of rioja, and 9:30 pm fireworks that require one parent to stay home with the BABY, and the other to escort the three-year-old to his first foray into colorful explosions in the night sky. As the one stuck at home in a quiet house with nothing but my iPod and the hum of the monitor to keep me company, I'm not sure I have the better end of the deal. But I do have some rioja, so that helps.
So, Happy Independence Day! I tried very hard (somewhat hard) (not at all) to dress my kids in festive red white and blue and capture wonderful photos of them. This is the best I came up with:
Lucy's outfit was picked out well in advance, but Finn had an early morning accident that necessitated M. dressing him (as the parent on duty for early morning risings today, and the one with slightly - but only slightly, as I would classify him as a metrosexual - less fashion sense) in whatever he could find. The polo shirt and red/blue plaid shorts I had planned were no longer acceptable once I dragged myself out of bed at the ungodly hour of 7:30, so instead you are stuck with half-hearted attempts to capture the kids (and me, in one photo) in various play activities. I would have tried harder had Finn been slightly more presentable, but I'm sure I would have merely frustrated and disappointed us all.
I'm going to blather on about some very unrelated topics now (Ooh, by the way, the fireworks just started, can hear them from our house, they sound QUITE thrilling).
1) Took Finn to Toy Story 3 this past weekend. It was his first time in a movie theater. I knew he had the attention span for it by now, as he has sat through several movies already. But I wasn't sure how he'd do with the dark and the loud sound system. I can now safely report that he does, in fact, do quite well with those things. He enjoyed the whole movie, and only got a little tired right at the very end. I pulled him onto my lap in the midst of the "scary" part, to make sure he was okay, and he told me he was tired and asked if the movie was over yet. But he made it through the ending credits, and apparently had such a good time that he broke down sobbing in the lobby when he discovered that we couldn't go watch another movie right away (don't think Lucy and the babysitter would have been too happy about a double feature).
2) Finn watched an episode of Special Agent Oso from the Disney Channel this morning. The premise is built upon a trainee spy bear who is learning the ropes, basically through his talking watch called Paw Pilot. Paw Pilot gives him instructions in the form of steps, in song. Am I the only one who hears the songs and immediately thinks: "Step 1: cut a hole in a box. Step 2:..."
3) I had another crappy workout last night, but this was after a good 3 hours out in the sun with the kids and a couple (2.5) glasses of wine the night before. I am not discouraged, and I spent some time downloading a few new songs for my iPod after the workout (to help with Tuesday's workout and beyond). I took Lori's suggestion, and looked up a few other running mixes on iTunes to get some suggestions. I added to my Lady Gaga collection, put in a few eclectic songs with a good beat (One Republic, Alien Ant Farm's version of Smooth Criminal), and downloaded some songs that I unabashedly just enjoy (some Pink, Kelly Clarkson, etc). I find the thing that keeps me going during a run most is not a steady beat, but a song I really enjoy, one that I would sing along to if I had the breath to do so.
4) One of my closest friends came over for dinner tonight with her fiance. She lives in Baltimore, which is just far enough away to make it inconvient to get together, especially now that I have kids. We met as hallmates in college, eventually became roommates, and spent SO much time together in college. I have so many great memories hanging out with her and my friend Jen. The three of us had many, many laughs together. It's wonderful and sad to spend time with someone who knew you so well once, and still knows you. It's like we can pick up wherever we left off, whenever we want to. I feel like the friends I make now only get to know part of me, the part that has a job and kids. Not the stupid/crazy/funny/rebellient/do-gooder/virginal-but-trying-to-lose-it/loving/ambivalent person I was back then. Am still now, occasionally (when I've had too much rioja?). I am still that person, the one my high school friends and college friends knew/know. And yet I live near none of them, see none of them on anything more than an erratic basis. It's lonely and disheartening and hard. I wish, wish, WISH I lived closer to my friends. I don't make them easily.
Just really, really wishing it was even slightly possible for us to move back home, to my home, right now.
Some coffee in the morning and a lovely bagel slathered in veggie cream cheese should bring me out of that funk, I'm sure.
Whatever the case, as one of the two maids of honor, I'm on deck to plan the bridal shower and bachelorette party for my friend. I'm expecting lots of social awkwardness on my part, but hopefully lots of fun, too. Your favorite non-lame activities associated with both those situations are hereby solicited...
ps: I don't normally say stuff like this, but I do work on an Army post, and I have come to have enormous respect for the people that serve our country in the Armed Forces. I really do respect everyone who has signed up for the job, those who have deployed, are deployed, or are serving our country here in the U.S. It is not an easy life, it is downright scary at times, and I am grateful we have them. Happy Independence Day to all Americans, and especially those who serve in the Armed Services.
So, Happy Independence Day! I tried very hard (somewhat hard) (not at all) to dress my kids in festive red white and blue and capture wonderful photos of them. This is the best I came up with:
Lucy's outfit was picked out well in advance, but Finn had an early morning accident that necessitated M. dressing him (as the parent on duty for early morning risings today, and the one with slightly - but only slightly, as I would classify him as a metrosexual - less fashion sense) in whatever he could find. The polo shirt and red/blue plaid shorts I had planned were no longer acceptable once I dragged myself out of bed at the ungodly hour of 7:30, so instead you are stuck with half-hearted attempts to capture the kids (and me, in one photo) in various play activities. I would have tried harder had Finn been slightly more presentable, but I'm sure I would have merely frustrated and disappointed us all.
I'm going to blather on about some very unrelated topics now (Ooh, by the way, the fireworks just started, can hear them from our house, they sound QUITE thrilling).
1) Took Finn to Toy Story 3 this past weekend. It was his first time in a movie theater. I knew he had the attention span for it by now, as he has sat through several movies already. But I wasn't sure how he'd do with the dark and the loud sound system. I can now safely report that he does, in fact, do quite well with those things. He enjoyed the whole movie, and only got a little tired right at the very end. I pulled him onto my lap in the midst of the "scary" part, to make sure he was okay, and he told me he was tired and asked if the movie was over yet. But he made it through the ending credits, and apparently had such a good time that he broke down sobbing in the lobby when he discovered that we couldn't go watch another movie right away (don't think Lucy and the babysitter would have been too happy about a double feature).
2) Finn watched an episode of Special Agent Oso from the Disney Channel this morning. The premise is built upon a trainee spy bear who is learning the ropes, basically through his talking watch called Paw Pilot. Paw Pilot gives him instructions in the form of steps, in song. Am I the only one who hears the songs and immediately thinks: "Step 1: cut a hole in a box. Step 2:..."
3) I had another crappy workout last night, but this was after a good 3 hours out in the sun with the kids and a couple (2.5) glasses of wine the night before. I am not discouraged, and I spent some time downloading a few new songs for my iPod after the workout (to help with Tuesday's workout and beyond). I took Lori's suggestion, and looked up a few other running mixes on iTunes to get some suggestions. I added to my Lady Gaga collection, put in a few eclectic songs with a good beat (One Republic, Alien Ant Farm's version of Smooth Criminal), and downloaded some songs that I unabashedly just enjoy (some Pink, Kelly Clarkson, etc). I find the thing that keeps me going during a run most is not a steady beat, but a song I really enjoy, one that I would sing along to if I had the breath to do so.
4) One of my closest friends came over for dinner tonight with her fiance. She lives in Baltimore, which is just far enough away to make it inconvient to get together, especially now that I have kids. We met as hallmates in college, eventually became roommates, and spent SO much time together in college. I have so many great memories hanging out with her and my friend Jen. The three of us had many, many laughs together. It's wonderful and sad to spend time with someone who knew you so well once, and still knows you. It's like we can pick up wherever we left off, whenever we want to. I feel like the friends I make now only get to know part of me, the part that has a job and kids. Not the stupid/crazy/funny/rebellient/do-gooder/virginal-but-trying-to-lose-it/loving/ambivalent person I was back then. Am still now, occasionally (when I've had too much rioja?). I am still that person, the one my high school friends and college friends knew/know. And yet I live near none of them, see none of them on anything more than an erratic basis. It's lonely and disheartening and hard. I wish, wish, WISH I lived closer to my friends. I don't make them easily.
Just really, really wishing it was even slightly possible for us to move back home, to my home, right now.
Some coffee in the morning and a lovely bagel slathered in veggie cream cheese should bring me out of that funk, I'm sure.
Whatever the case, as one of the two maids of honor, I'm on deck to plan the bridal shower and bachelorette party for my friend. I'm expecting lots of social awkwardness on my part, but hopefully lots of fun, too. Your favorite non-lame activities associated with both those situations are hereby solicited...
ps: I don't normally say stuff like this, but I do work on an Army post, and I have come to have enormous respect for the people that serve our country in the Armed Forces. I really do respect everyone who has signed up for the job, those who have deployed, are deployed, or are serving our country here in the U.S. It is not an easy life, it is downright scary at times, and I am grateful we have them. Happy Independence Day to all Americans, and especially those who serve in the Armed Services.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Filling the Silence
Lucy's napping is still a bit erratic/non-existent, hence my absence. It's amazing how one little baby can suck up so much of your time! Lots to say, but no time to actually sit down and write a fully developed post on each idea. So, just to put something out there for the sake of updating (as I have been told by my grandmother that my blog stinks because I don't post enough), a few bullets:
- The last several days involved family, family and more family. Stacey and Cameron arrived on Friday. My brother Andrew, in the area for work, stopped by on Saturday afternoon for a bit. Kristin flew in Saturday night, Stacey and Cameron left Sunday morning, and I had Kristin and her BlackBerry for company until Tuesday afternoon (seriously, the girl works too much!). I must admit that once everyone was gone, the house seemed pretty quiet and lonely. I'm sure the rainy weather didn't help. I took some pictures, but better ones can be seen at Stacey's blog here. Her post is missing pics of Finn, though, so I will try to put up some recent ones soon.
- Stacey brought me the complete three seasons of Veronica Mars on DVD. I'm only 4 episodes in, and I'm already amazed that I somehow managed to miss this one when it was on the air. Fantastic show (and theme song)! I may have to re-watch with M. so that he can see it, too. Thanks to Stacey for filling some of my maternity leave TV boredom.
- I bought the Miracle Blanket because Lucy has been busting out of my swaddling jobs at night, and I think it's keeping her from sleeping longer stretches. The jury is still out on this one. Lucy seems to absolutely hate it - she fights against it constantly. But I did manage to get her to sleep the first night in it, and she slept one of her longest stretches yet. She will not nap in it (then again, she often just will not nap), and last night wasn't quite as successful - we couldn't get her to fall asleep until almost 11 pm (as opposed to her more typical 7:30/8:00-ish), and then she woke up again at 1:45. It may have been a $30 waste of money.
- M. is leaving for another work trip this coming Monday, and I've been slowly getting more and more anxious about it. Thankfully, we seem to have Lucy's reflux under control, so hopefully I won't have hours of crying from her while I'm on my own the way I did last time. But both kids have been going down for bed at around the same time, and I have no idea how to begin to come up with a plan to handle this by myself. Lucy often requires about an hour to get her down fully (change her, feed her, hold her upright a bit so she doesn't spit up all over the place, swaddle her, get her to fall asleep). Finn is high maintenance, too - he drags out story-time and bedtime singing to at least half an hour, and then he tends to have at least one (often more) episode of calling loudly for one of us to come rectify some trumped up problem or just cuddle with him before he'll fall asleep. And since his room is right next to Lucy's, we always give in and go up to him so that he won't wake his sister up. M. and I are usually both tied up with whatever kid we're in charge of each night for at least an hour. So my big problem is, which kid do I put down first, and what do I do with the other one in the meantime??? My head hurts just thinking about it.
- We tried switching Lucy to a generic version of her formula, because it's $11 cheaper per can. That could add up to crazy savings, right, since we go through over a can a week? Well, Lucy apparently has expensive tastes, because halfway through the switch she developed constipation and fussiness. So, we are back to the expensive name brand formula, and general brokeness :-).
- Speaking of brokeness, we don't actually know if we are, because M. and I are terrible at keeping a budget. With all the new expenses that come with adding kid #2 to the family (daycare, diapers, formula, reflux meds), we have no idea if what is coming in, income-wise, is greater than what is going out. So, we are going to take a stab (yet again) at keeping track of expenses/keeping a budget. Last time we tried this we used an Excel spreadsheet, and the downfall was that it was just too time consuming and detailed to maintain. I'm looking for something simpler this time, and I'd like to avoid software we have to buy (see above re: we may be broke). I'm planning on looking in to www.mint.com - anyone have experience with this site, or other recommendations?
That's enough of my jumbled thoughts for now!
- The last several days involved family, family and more family. Stacey and Cameron arrived on Friday. My brother Andrew, in the area for work, stopped by on Saturday afternoon for a bit. Kristin flew in Saturday night, Stacey and Cameron left Sunday morning, and I had Kristin and her BlackBerry for company until Tuesday afternoon (seriously, the girl works too much!). I must admit that once everyone was gone, the house seemed pretty quiet and lonely. I'm sure the rainy weather didn't help. I took some pictures, but better ones can be seen at Stacey's blog here. Her post is missing pics of Finn, though, so I will try to put up some recent ones soon.
- Stacey brought me the complete three seasons of Veronica Mars on DVD. I'm only 4 episodes in, and I'm already amazed that I somehow managed to miss this one when it was on the air. Fantastic show (and theme song)! I may have to re-watch with M. so that he can see it, too. Thanks to Stacey for filling some of my maternity leave TV boredom.
- I bought the Miracle Blanket because Lucy has been busting out of my swaddling jobs at night, and I think it's keeping her from sleeping longer stretches. The jury is still out on this one. Lucy seems to absolutely hate it - she fights against it constantly. But I did manage to get her to sleep the first night in it, and she slept one of her longest stretches yet. She will not nap in it (then again, she often just will not nap), and last night wasn't quite as successful - we couldn't get her to fall asleep until almost 11 pm (as opposed to her more typical 7:30/8:00-ish), and then she woke up again at 1:45. It may have been a $30 waste of money.
- M. is leaving for another work trip this coming Monday, and I've been slowly getting more and more anxious about it. Thankfully, we seem to have Lucy's reflux under control, so hopefully I won't have hours of crying from her while I'm on my own the way I did last time. But both kids have been going down for bed at around the same time, and I have no idea how to begin to come up with a plan to handle this by myself. Lucy often requires about an hour to get her down fully (change her, feed her, hold her upright a bit so she doesn't spit up all over the place, swaddle her, get her to fall asleep). Finn is high maintenance, too - he drags out story-time and bedtime singing to at least half an hour, and then he tends to have at least one (often more) episode of calling loudly for one of us to come rectify some trumped up problem or just cuddle with him before he'll fall asleep. And since his room is right next to Lucy's, we always give in and go up to him so that he won't wake his sister up. M. and I are usually both tied up with whatever kid we're in charge of each night for at least an hour. So my big problem is, which kid do I put down first, and what do I do with the other one in the meantime??? My head hurts just thinking about it.
- We tried switching Lucy to a generic version of her formula, because it's $11 cheaper per can. That could add up to crazy savings, right, since we go through over a can a week? Well, Lucy apparently has expensive tastes, because halfway through the switch she developed constipation and fussiness. So, we are back to the expensive name brand formula, and general brokeness :-).
- Speaking of brokeness, we don't actually know if we are, because M. and I are terrible at keeping a budget. With all the new expenses that come with adding kid #2 to the family (daycare, diapers, formula, reflux meds), we have no idea if what is coming in, income-wise, is greater than what is going out. So, we are going to take a stab (yet again) at keeping track of expenses/keeping a budget. Last time we tried this we used an Excel spreadsheet, and the downfall was that it was just too time consuming and detailed to maintain. I'm looking for something simpler this time, and I'd like to avoid software we have to buy (see above re: we may be broke). I'm planning on looking in to www.mint.com - anyone have experience with this site, or other recommendations?
That's enough of my jumbled thoughts for now!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
A Lighter Post
M. says my last few posts have been too serious/complain-y, so I'm going to lay off the kid issues at least for today (it helps that both kids are doing very well today, and Finn is back at daycare).
I can't avoid some complaining, though - in this case, with regard to the quality of daytime television. Can't TV programmers have a little sympathy for me and my fellow "temporarily not working" peers? I don't have a long standing relationship with a daytime soap opera (once upon a time, in middle school, I was a General Hospital/One Life to Live fan, and I could probably pick out many of the characters to this day since they never change/always come back, but that was a long time ago and I'm really not interested anymore). I can't stand shows like Dr. Phil, Tyra Banks, etc (even, gasp, Oprah! The one exception is Ellen - she is hilarious - but I always seem to miss her show somehow). I can't even watch the last hour of the Today show (way too much fluff). I adore HGTV, but they don't air my favorite shows during the day. Instead of House Hunters or Designed to Sell, I'm stuck with Decorating Cents and Designer's Challenge - blech. Now that I no longer have time to cook, I just can't sit through hours of the Food Network the way I used to (so sad, because I really, really enjoyed that stuff once upon a time, i.e. pre-kids). Having just gone through childbirth, I really can't sit through shows like Birth Day, Bringing Home Baby, Adoption Stories, etc - the norm of channels like TLC and Discovery Health during the day. I get bored out of my mind, but I also cry every time the baby is born or the parents meet their to-be-adopted child for the first time (I'm such a sucker), two reasons not to watch.
One day USA aired a House marathon, a show I had never really watched before. I discovered I really like it, and I was in good company that day through a few feedings and several loads of laundry. But the experience has not been repeated - USA has stuck to other shows like Law and Order or one of the CSI's every day since. I also find that I (**blush**) enjoy Tori Spelling's reality show - she and Dean are actually a pretty funny and cute couple. But I have already seen all the re-runs, apparently, as every time I flip by it's an episode I recognize.
What's a gal to do? I could try to get House on Netflix, but we signed up for the cheapest plan available to save money, and only get 2 DVDs a month. What I really want is some intelligent, funny programming that I can watch regardless of where I come in during the episode. Less reality TV (is that heresy?). Anyone else frustrated with a lack of quality television programming while on maternity leave?
Lest you think me awful and lazy, let me also say that I do get out of the house - I try to run errands and go on a walk every day. But with the summer heat coming on, there is a limit to how much outside stuff I can do with an infant. I also have books to read, and I am currently working my way through the "Wicked" sequel, "Son of a Witch" (so far I really like it).
OK, non-kid-related complaining over. Now is time for the cute kid photos:
First trip of the summer to the neighborhood pool
Just adorable, right? Even with croup, the kid is a sight for sore eyes!
Putting his new dump truck to good use as a shoe organizer
Modeling the sweater made by great-grandmother Mimi
Smiling for Mommy
I can't avoid some complaining, though - in this case, with regard to the quality of daytime television. Can't TV programmers have a little sympathy for me and my fellow "temporarily not working" peers? I don't have a long standing relationship with a daytime soap opera (once upon a time, in middle school, I was a General Hospital/One Life to Live fan, and I could probably pick out many of the characters to this day since they never change/always come back, but that was a long time ago and I'm really not interested anymore). I can't stand shows like Dr. Phil, Tyra Banks, etc (even, gasp, Oprah! The one exception is Ellen - she is hilarious - but I always seem to miss her show somehow). I can't even watch the last hour of the Today show (way too much fluff). I adore HGTV, but they don't air my favorite shows during the day. Instead of House Hunters or Designed to Sell, I'm stuck with Decorating Cents and Designer's Challenge - blech. Now that I no longer have time to cook, I just can't sit through hours of the Food Network the way I used to (so sad, because I really, really enjoyed that stuff once upon a time, i.e. pre-kids). Having just gone through childbirth, I really can't sit through shows like Birth Day, Bringing Home Baby, Adoption Stories, etc - the norm of channels like TLC and Discovery Health during the day. I get bored out of my mind, but I also cry every time the baby is born or the parents meet their to-be-adopted child for the first time (I'm such a sucker), two reasons not to watch.
One day USA aired a House marathon, a show I had never really watched before. I discovered I really like it, and I was in good company that day through a few feedings and several loads of laundry. But the experience has not been repeated - USA has stuck to other shows like Law and Order or one of the CSI's every day since. I also find that I (**blush**) enjoy Tori Spelling's reality show - she and Dean are actually a pretty funny and cute couple. But I have already seen all the re-runs, apparently, as every time I flip by it's an episode I recognize.
What's a gal to do? I could try to get House on Netflix, but we signed up for the cheapest plan available to save money, and only get 2 DVDs a month. What I really want is some intelligent, funny programming that I can watch regardless of where I come in during the episode. Less reality TV (is that heresy?). Anyone else frustrated with a lack of quality television programming while on maternity leave?
Lest you think me awful and lazy, let me also say that I do get out of the house - I try to run errands and go on a walk every day. But with the summer heat coming on, there is a limit to how much outside stuff I can do with an infant. I also have books to read, and I am currently working my way through the "Wicked" sequel, "Son of a Witch" (so far I really like it).
OK, non-kid-related complaining over. Now is time for the cute kid photos:
First trip of the summer to the neighborhood pool
Just adorable, right? Even with croup, the kid is a sight for sore eyes!
Putting his new dump truck to good use as a shoe organizer
Modeling the sweater made by great-grandmother Mimi
Smiling for Mommy
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Welcome to the Dark Side
Well, we did it. We have given Finn regular access to the television, the source of all the world's evils, or something like that.
Up until now, Finn as a conscious being has seen very little TV. Yes, I did sustain myself and the many long hours of breastfeeding during my maternity leave by parking myself in front of the TV, but Finn was pretty oblivious then. Once we moved to our current house, the TV went down into the basement, while most of our days were spent up in the main living area with all of Finn's toys, the kitchen, etc. In addition to getting M. and I out of the habit of ALWAYS having the TV on, it had the extra bonus of making sure Finn was exposed to no adult programming and commercials because OMG, they might give my baby ADHD! And yes, I write that sarcastically, but only for show because there is a part of me that thinks it's true.
Finn's now 2, seems to be developing on track, seems pretty bright... so we didn't see a lot of harm in starting to introduce him to some of the children's programming and movies that are appropriate for his age now. But most importantly (and selfishly), the main motivation for bringing a TV into our living room now is the impending arrival of Finn's brother or sister. Seriously, there is still an imprint of my rear end on the arm chair where I did most of my daytime nursing of Finn. We spent hours and hours of every day in that chair. How the hell am I going to nurse another baby AND entertain Finn, when my ass will be firmly planted in a chair for much of the day? My answer - the TV. Yes, I guess I will become one of "those" moms that uses the TV as a babysitter.
Thanks to my parents, we are now the proud/reluctant owners of a new 26" LCD TV that fits nicely in an alcove of our living room. Finn has taken very quickly to the TV, demanding it be turned on as soon as we get home from work, or as soon as we wake up on the weekends. I'm hoping it's just a temporary obsession due to the novelty, and the demands will taper off a bit (I mean, come on, what about all those new Christmas toys that are sitting, unloved, not getting attention? When is it their turn?). We don't have a cable box for the TV yet, so I've already grown weary of the "Bob the Builder White Christmas," "Elmo's World Wild Wild West," and "Cars" DVDs that we own (although the Cars movie is quite cute, actually). OMG, does Elmo have an annoying laugh or what?!?!
So far, though, Finn is not proving to be much of an independent TV watcher. I was hoping to at least get some peace and quiet (read: no constant demands to pick up a heavy 2-yr-old) when cooking dinner. Nope, Finn wants to watch TV, and he wants to watch it on my lap. I think it's partially because he still scares pretty easily - he doesn't like being alone in the living room (though the kitchen has a pass through that lets him see me while I'm cooking), and sometimes he gets scared by what he sees on the TV (for example, he is scared by the tractors and the thresher/harvester-thingy in Cars. Hell, I'M scared by the thresher, I don't blame him on that one).
So for now, the TV is less of a "babysitter," and more of a way for me to sneak in some good cuddle time while Finn sits on my lap. Dinner is no less of a challenge than before - in fact, since I try to just keep the TV off while I'm cooking (easier than trying to juggle cooking and keeping Finn company in front of it), it's just brought me more complaints from my demanding neo-TV addict. We'll see whether it ends up serving the intended purpose once the baby is born or not.
Up until now, Finn as a conscious being has seen very little TV. Yes, I did sustain myself and the many long hours of breastfeeding during my maternity leave by parking myself in front of the TV, but Finn was pretty oblivious then. Once we moved to our current house, the TV went down into the basement, while most of our days were spent up in the main living area with all of Finn's toys, the kitchen, etc. In addition to getting M. and I out of the habit of ALWAYS having the TV on, it had the extra bonus of making sure Finn was exposed to no adult programming and commercials because OMG, they might give my baby ADHD! And yes, I write that sarcastically, but only for show because there is a part of me that thinks it's true.
Finn's now 2, seems to be developing on track, seems pretty bright... so we didn't see a lot of harm in starting to introduce him to some of the children's programming and movies that are appropriate for his age now. But most importantly (and selfishly), the main motivation for bringing a TV into our living room now is the impending arrival of Finn's brother or sister. Seriously, there is still an imprint of my rear end on the arm chair where I did most of my daytime nursing of Finn. We spent hours and hours of every day in that chair. How the hell am I going to nurse another baby AND entertain Finn, when my ass will be firmly planted in a chair for much of the day? My answer - the TV. Yes, I guess I will become one of "those" moms that uses the TV as a babysitter.
Thanks to my parents, we are now the proud/reluctant owners of a new 26" LCD TV that fits nicely in an alcove of our living room. Finn has taken very quickly to the TV, demanding it be turned on as soon as we get home from work, or as soon as we wake up on the weekends. I'm hoping it's just a temporary obsession due to the novelty, and the demands will taper off a bit (I mean, come on, what about all those new Christmas toys that are sitting, unloved, not getting attention? When is it their turn?). We don't have a cable box for the TV yet, so I've already grown weary of the "Bob the Builder White Christmas," "Elmo's World Wild Wild West," and "Cars" DVDs that we own (although the Cars movie is quite cute, actually). OMG, does Elmo have an annoying laugh or what?!?!
So far, though, Finn is not proving to be much of an independent TV watcher. I was hoping to at least get some peace and quiet (read: no constant demands to pick up a heavy 2-yr-old) when cooking dinner. Nope, Finn wants to watch TV, and he wants to watch it on my lap. I think it's partially because he still scares pretty easily - he doesn't like being alone in the living room (though the kitchen has a pass through that lets him see me while I'm cooking), and sometimes he gets scared by what he sees on the TV (for example, he is scared by the tractors and the thresher/harvester-thingy in Cars. Hell, I'M scared by the thresher, I don't blame him on that one).
So for now, the TV is less of a "babysitter," and more of a way for me to sneak in some good cuddle time while Finn sits on my lap. Dinner is no less of a challenge than before - in fact, since I try to just keep the TV off while I'm cooking (easier than trying to juggle cooking and keeping Finn company in front of it), it's just brought me more complaints from my demanding neo-TV addict. We'll see whether it ends up serving the intended purpose once the baby is born or not.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
