I love Mondays...

Ahhh - Mondays:

One of my two "break" days from working out and/or running.

Big Bang Theory is on.

I usually pack myself a pretty good lunch for work.

And today is especially wonderful, because tomorrow - LOST starts.

What we need is a not-so-super nanny...

Are you familiar with Super Nanny? Basically, it's an hour long reality show where Jo, the Super nanny, comes to help out some poor helpless parents who are struggling big-time with their kids. Toddlers that won't go to (or stay in bed), kids throwing tantrums all over the place, tweens with attitudes, teens with attitudes, parents not seeing eye-to-eye, parents getting hit, kicked, punched, and/or spit at. The first half of the show is spent showing just how horrible the situation is and Jo establishes some rules, gives the parents advice and pep talks, and then leaves them to fend on their own. She returns the second half to review how they did, and "tweak" some techniques for everyone.
It's actually a great show to watch after a long day with my own kids, because I can sit back and think, "hey, at least it's not that bad here." Especially the episodes with young kids - and those kids who don't go to bed and sleep. Heck, we've got that sleep thing down pat over here. The episodes with older kids actually scare me just a bit - I always end up thinking, "How the hell did it get to be that bad for them?" And lately, I've been wishing there was some show with a Not-So-Super Nanny, for parents like us. Parents who pretty much have things under control, but then there's the little things and we just don't know what to do with. For us that would be the whining. We've tried ignoring it, or saying, "I'm not going to answer you when you use that voice." We've tried demonstrating how nasty it sounds. We've tried not giving him what he wants if he whined for it - even if he then goes back and asks in a "nice voice." (And the thing is - the nice voice isn't that nice, really.) And perhaps our problem is that we haven't tried any one technique for an extended period of time. But the problem with that is - what are we supposed to try - what's the technique that's been proved to work for whining? Oh, Not-So-Super Nanny, we need your help!

What help do you need for the Not-So-Super Nanny?

Untitled Haiku

When did you grow up?
Learning all sorts of new things.
When did this happen?

You know your numbers
And all the letters as well
Who's to blame for this?

Sesame Street or
Maybe it was SuperWhy
or maybe WordWorlrd?

Now there's just one thing
You need to learn how to share
Which show will teach that?

This one's about Quinn
Not Liam, silly readers
Though Liam's smart too!



For more Haiku fun or to participate in this great weekly tradition visit: Jennifer at Playgroups Are No Place For Children.

Wireless

So the day after Turkey Day I brought us a TiVo system. That purchase caused us to need to buy a wireless internet router thing. That purchase has caused me to SERIOUSLY consider getting a laptop, because, hey, if we already have the router and the ability to just work online upstairs without being connected to ANYTHING, then why not. Our senses have prevented us from just ordering one right away and our plan was to wait until January or February. However, Mike brought his laptop home from work today and VOILA - I'm sitting on the couch blogging and watching Mike and Quinn wrestle. And it's semi-warm up here (it's so cold outside I don't think it's warm anywhere, but it's definetly warmer up here then down there.) PLUS... I mentioned to Mike how nice it would be if I could sort my pictures on our computer upstairs and he think he set up the network so I can access our hard drive through this laptop. That would be so nice.
Oh and by the way, I'm not sure how we managed to live without TiVo. Quinn can watch Teletubbies, Seaseme Street, or Barney whenever he wants. He's quickly learned to ask, "Watch Teletubbies on TiVo?"

Ouch

I'm surprised how moved I am by Steve Irwin's death. He was such a fun guy to watch and made it seem like he truly enjoyed what he was doing. And was like a staple for our generation's entertainment.
ABC did a very poor job reporting the story. We found out by the commercial lead. "Steve Irwin, famous crocodile hunter, has a fatal accident with a sting ray." Mike and I weren't sure he actually died, "Did they say near fatal? They wouldn't just tell us he died in the lead to get us to watch the news..." But sure enough the did.