Today was a long-ish day. It started at 4am when Gary left for work in Mexico, and it didn't stop until after 7:00 when we got home from swimming lessons. I was trying to get all the kids' teeth brushed and read to and tucked in, all the while Ellie was playing the piano.
She loves to play the piano. She practices a lot. A lot. It's loud. Sometimes, it sounds great, and sometimes it sounds like an accompaniment to a descent into madness. I had Kate and Brad upstairs and had asked Ellie to get off the piano about 10 times. I came downstairs, ready to tell her FIRMLY to get upstairs.
But, I looked at her little body sitting on that piano bench, so focused on her music that instead I went over, sat down by her and told her how great she sounded.
"Do you want me to play something for you, Mummy?" Of course, I said, I'd love that. So, we sat there side by side, snuggled-ish and she played several songs. She played some nice ones very well. And, she was so happy. So was I.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
'Pencess Dress!'
I've never watched Dancing With the Stars before. But we caught an early episode this season, and all of us in this house - Gary, myself, Ellie, Brad, Kate and Liezel, were mesmerized by Kate Gosselin's dancing (yes, mesmerized is probably the right word). We watched it, rewound it, and watched it again (what would we do without dvr?) And so we were hooked. I actually really like the show. We get the early feed from Detroit, so it's on at 6pm and we all snuggle up and watch it.
Except for Katey. As soon as she hears the DWTS music, she runs up to her room, then emerges in a dress as either Belle, Cinderella, Snow White or Aurora, with matching plastic princess shoes. While Dancing with the Stars is on, Kate provides the real entertainment by dancing around the living room in her princess dress. "Look me, look me! I Pencess." We all love it. You can feel the happy in the room.
Real happiness isn't a tidy house, quiet kids or a spouse who cleans up after himself. Although, who am I kidding - those things help after a long day... and while I'm at it, I could do with less pee backsplash in the bathroom. Bradley, I'm talking to you. At least I think I am. My real, raw happiness comes from these shared, lovely funny moments, and my conscience awareness of them. I want to remember all the details. These are, as they say, the best days...
Except for Katey. As soon as she hears the DWTS music, she runs up to her room, then emerges in a dress as either Belle, Cinderella, Snow White or Aurora, with matching plastic princess shoes. While Dancing with the Stars is on, Kate provides the real entertainment by dancing around the living room in her princess dress. "Look me, look me! I Pencess." We all love it. You can feel the happy in the room.
Real happiness isn't a tidy house, quiet kids or a spouse who cleans up after himself. Although, who am I kidding - those things help after a long day... and while I'm at it, I could do with less pee backsplash in the bathroom. Bradley, I'm talking to you. At least I think I am. My real, raw happiness comes from these shared, lovely funny moments, and my conscience awareness of them. I want to remember all the details. These are, as they say, the best days...
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Bradley's new favourite joke
Ellie is obsessed with the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series of books. Which means that Brad is also smitten with them. I thought the books might be a little too old for Ellie; let alone Brad. Bradley's new favourite joke, courtesy of DoaWK...
Boy goes to the Dr's office. Says he needs a new bum, because his current bum has a crack in it.
Cue roars of laughter.
*Please note: Mom insists they say Bum instead of Butt when telling this joke. The book says Butt.
** Further proof that no matter how much a mother can try to discourage her kids (boys especially) from potty humour, it is a futile effort.
Boy goes to the Dr's office. Says he needs a new bum, because his current bum has a crack in it.
Cue roars of laughter.
*Please note: Mom insists they say Bum instead of Butt when telling this joke. The book says Butt.
** Further proof that no matter how much a mother can try to discourage her kids (boys especially) from potty humour, it is a futile effort.
Friday, April 2, 2010
You're a nerd. Embrace it.
The other day, Ellie was recounting a story about how one of the girls in her class was talking smack about one of their male classmates, who is crazy smart, reading at a grade 7 level, and Ellie's classmate called him a NERD.
I said, "That's not very nice - the poor kid. What IS a nerd, anyway, Ellie? Do you think he's a nerd?"
Well, Ellie replied, he's probably a nerd.
Gary pulled Ellie in and said, "Ellie, guess what.... YOU'RE a nerd."
"Your mother's a nerd, I'm a nerd, YOU are a NERD, Brad is a nerd, and Kate is probably going to be a nerd (although, she might be a female wrestler - the jury is still out...)
"Nerds love books. You are a nerd."
I told Ellie, nerds can also be funny and wear pretty clothes. So, now she's a proud nerd.
"Guess what Mommy.... I'm a nerd!"
I said, "That's not very nice - the poor kid. What IS a nerd, anyway, Ellie? Do you think he's a nerd?"
Well, Ellie replied, he's probably a nerd.
Gary pulled Ellie in and said, "Ellie, guess what.... YOU'RE a nerd."
"Your mother's a nerd, I'm a nerd, YOU are a NERD, Brad is a nerd, and Kate is probably going to be a nerd (although, she might be a female wrestler - the jury is still out...)
"Nerds love books. You are a nerd."
I told Ellie, nerds can also be funny and wear pretty clothes. So, now she's a proud nerd.
"Guess what Mommy.... I'm a nerd!"
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! Obama style...
Hallelujah!
Like a lot of Canadians, I've been following the political goings on south of the border pretty closely. I feel strongly about healthcare for all. The campaign in the US against universal healthcare clearly illustrates several points. One, that people can be talked into or out of almost anything when bombarded with daily misinformation and propaganda, a la Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachman and their friends at FoxNews. Second, most people who oppose healthcare for all, already have it for themselves and their families. 'We've got our's' so you and your children are on your own. It speaks volumes about their world view. 'You've had arthritis? Your child has had cancer/diabetes/acid reflux? Well, that's a pre-existing condition - no health insurance for you!' Which leads to the saddest point - that most of the opponents of healthcare do not care about their fellow man, as long as they are taken care of themselves. How un-Christianlike, for a a group that largely identifies itself as Christian. I'm not particularly religious, but I respect much of what the bible says. Christians who are against health reform should consider the following inconvenient verse...
Deuteronomy 15:7. If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any of the towns of the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand to your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks.
I've discussed this at length with people who oppose universal healthcare, and their argument boils down to money. It will cost too much. Well, the American insurance companies make billions of dollars in profits. Billions. In. Profits. That may be a moral stomach turner for some, but it's a fact they are not going to part with that money and will (and have) spent millions if not billions lobbying in Washington to protect their profits.
Following the passing of health insurance reform last week (called Obamacare from the fair and balanced right) the airwaves were bombarded with anger, vitriol and violent language unlike anything I've ever heard. After everything that has happened south of the border over the last decade, it's mind-boggling. Remember what the right did to the Dixie Chicks in 2003, because Natalie Maines said they were embarrassed George Bush was a fellow Texan at a concert in London on the eve of the Iraq War? Think about what they endured for years after that for ONE REMARK made off the cuff, and then listen to the hate, fear, lies and spewed by Hannity, Beck, Palin, Limbaugh, etc, etc. These people have a strong following; thus we have the tea partiers. Remember when anyone who dared speak about against the Iraq War debacle was accused of being unpatriotic and vilified as hating America?? I guess criticizing the president is only okay if the republicans don't get their way.
Last weekend, I received an email from one of the American political blogs I follow. I read lots of political blogs, from both the right and left. This one did not come with an author named, so I will just pass it on. Consider this a love letter to the tea baggers...
We had eight years of Bush and Cheney, Now you get mad?
You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and
appointed a President.
You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate
energy policy.
You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.
You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.
You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.
You didn't get mad when we spent over 600 billion(and counting) on said illegal war.
You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq.
You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people.
You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.
You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden.
You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.
You didn't get mad when we let a major US city, New Orleans, drown.
You didn't get mad when we gave a 900 billion tax break to the rich.
You didn't get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark.
You finally got mad when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all okay with you, but helping other Americans...oh hell no.
Like a lot of Canadians, I've been following the political goings on south of the border pretty closely. I feel strongly about healthcare for all. The campaign in the US against universal healthcare clearly illustrates several points. One, that people can be talked into or out of almost anything when bombarded with daily misinformation and propaganda, a la Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachman and their friends at FoxNews. Second, most people who oppose healthcare for all, already have it for themselves and their families. 'We've got our's' so you and your children are on your own. It speaks volumes about their world view. 'You've had arthritis? Your child has had cancer/diabetes/acid reflux? Well, that's a pre-existing condition - no health insurance for you!' Which leads to the saddest point - that most of the opponents of healthcare do not care about their fellow man, as long as they are taken care of themselves. How un-Christianlike, for a a group that largely identifies itself as Christian. I'm not particularly religious, but I respect much of what the bible says. Christians who are against health reform should consider the following inconvenient verse...
Deuteronomy 15:7. If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any of the towns of the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand to your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks.
I've discussed this at length with people who oppose universal healthcare, and their argument boils down to money. It will cost too much. Well, the American insurance companies make billions of dollars in profits. Billions. In. Profits. That may be a moral stomach turner for some, but it's a fact they are not going to part with that money and will (and have) spent millions if not billions lobbying in Washington to protect their profits.
Following the passing of health insurance reform last week (called Obamacare from the fair and balanced right) the airwaves were bombarded with anger, vitriol and violent language unlike anything I've ever heard. After everything that has happened south of the border over the last decade, it's mind-boggling. Remember what the right did to the Dixie Chicks in 2003, because Natalie Maines said they were embarrassed George Bush was a fellow Texan at a concert in London on the eve of the Iraq War? Think about what they endured for years after that for ONE REMARK made off the cuff, and then listen to the hate, fear, lies and spewed by Hannity, Beck, Palin, Limbaugh, etc, etc. These people have a strong following; thus we have the tea partiers. Remember when anyone who dared speak about against the Iraq War debacle was accused of being unpatriotic and vilified as hating America?? I guess criticizing the president is only okay if the republicans don't get their way.
Last weekend, I received an email from one of the American political blogs I follow. I read lots of political blogs, from both the right and left. This one did not come with an author named, so I will just pass it on. Consider this a love letter to the tea baggers...
We had eight years of Bush and Cheney, Now you get mad?
You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and
appointed a President.
You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate
energy policy.
You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.
You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.
You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.
You didn't get mad when we spent over 600 billion(and counting) on said illegal war.
You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq.
You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people.
You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.
You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden.
You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.
You didn't get mad when we let a major US city, New Orleans, drown.
You didn't get mad when we gave a 900 billion tax break to the rich.
You didn't get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark.
You finally got mad when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all okay with you, but helping other Americans...oh hell no.
Friday, March 26, 2010
SEXTING (is) FOR DUMMIES
I haven't seen many of Sandra Bullock's movies... the last one I loved with her in it was A Time To Kill. But, I like her a great deal based on years of watching her on Leno, Letterman, etc, etc... I never found her marrying Jesse James that strange... because I also found him to seem quite kind and intelligent. Of course, this is also based on what I see on latenight talk shows. I don't even know what he does... something like American Chopper...?
Anyway, they're all over the fluff news. Yesterday, I was volunteering at the kids' school for HOT LUNCH DAY. It's a BIG DEAL. Afterwards, I was talking with some of the teachers and someone mentioned "poor Sandra Bullock". I said that I wished I'd gone to see The Blind Side in the theatre, to throw some love her way the only way I could. One of the teachers said The Blind Side is still at the cheap theatre up the road.
Well... my older kids are busy, and Kate is home with the sitter about to have a 2 hour nap. I could totally go see The Blind Side. Alone. In the middle of the day. On a school day. Escandalo!! So I did, and I liked it a lot. I thought I'd feel guilty, but I didn't.
So that brings me to... what in the hell is wrong with Jesse James? He has been texting, or 'sexting' for years, but up to and even including the few last months that brought us Tiger's texts. Who has been sending sex texts since Tiger's car hit that tree? JJ must be an idiot. And have you seen these skankolas? The first one is just repulsive to me to even look at. The others look... trashy. The first one's tattoos make me itchy. Granted, I'm not a tattoo person. I don't hate them; I'm just not getting one myself.
Obviously, not every man (or woman) who cheats on their spouse is a bad person. People cheat for lots of reasons. Jesse James has 3 children. The youngest, Sunni, has been raised by Sandra Bullock since she was an infant. By bonking - I guess we're up to 4 now - of these women, he has really jeopardized the stability of this little girls' life. To say nothing of how unbelievable the timing is, with SB having just won the oscar. She thanked him often - very sweetly, and I think sincerely... ugh. I hate to think of how she must have felt. I'd hoped there might not be a Tiger-like menagerie, but we're already up to 4...
And speaking of Tiger... what is wrong with him? Really. I mean really. What an asshole. Have you read the texts he sent to one of the girls, which she has now released and posted on her own website. Some of them are just filthy and misogynistic. I am no prude. But those texts... man. There is no way Elin will be able to get past those. I hope not, anyway.
The Tiger Woods story is one that I would like not to be interested in, but I can't help it. Trashy and unimportant news, clearly, but it is/was compelling enough that after years of not doing so, I finally gave in and added TMZ to my bookmarks.
What bothers me the most about Tiger Woods? Well, back in December, it bugged me when I heard how cheap he was; to his mistresses but more so, to the wait staff in restaurants. Asshole. But, now I think he probably has some degree of socio-pathos to his personality. Easy to say now that I never liked him, but I never did. I am not a golfer and I've never watched him play, ever (that won't change). I thought he was boring and uninteresting. Not now. Now I wonder what makes a man, with two sweet babies at home, go and pursue girl, after girl, after girl, after girl... I don't care that many of the girls are employed in some sort of sex trade. That doesn't make them any sluttier than your average girl who enthusiastically has sex with married men. There's more dignity in being paid for sex outright, than doing it with a longterm plan of saving texts and lawyering up with Gloria Allred, in order to fake-cry your 15 minutes of fame out of trash tv. "I thought I was the only one"... boo effing hoo.
The really gross part of this is that he had unprotected sex, over and over, with teams of girls; all of whom live high risk lifestyles, sexually. Then, he went home to his wife and BABIES. Where is the guilt? I can see this happening once. You're out, drinking, your guy friends are there, girls are all over all of you... I can see how that can happen. But, the next day, when your 3 yr old looks at you and says, "I love you, Daddy", don't you just hate yourself? Really. Every time I see the same footage of Tiger at some big tournament, and walking over to his wife, mother and baby girl, who he takes from his mother and kisses on the face, I wonder who was he last kissing, and where. Gross.
How big a narcissist do you have to be to think you are above catching (and then passing on) something from the two prostitutes you just paid to have a threesome with you?
Tiger is an asshole.
Anyway, they're all over the fluff news. Yesterday, I was volunteering at the kids' school for HOT LUNCH DAY. It's a BIG DEAL. Afterwards, I was talking with some of the teachers and someone mentioned "poor Sandra Bullock". I said that I wished I'd gone to see The Blind Side in the theatre, to throw some love her way the only way I could. One of the teachers said The Blind Side is still at the cheap theatre up the road.
Well... my older kids are busy, and Kate is home with the sitter about to have a 2 hour nap. I could totally go see The Blind Side. Alone. In the middle of the day. On a school day. Escandalo!! So I did, and I liked it a lot. I thought I'd feel guilty, but I didn't.
So that brings me to... what in the hell is wrong with Jesse James? He has been texting, or 'sexting' for years, but up to and even including the few last months that brought us Tiger's texts. Who has been sending sex texts since Tiger's car hit that tree? JJ must be an idiot. And have you seen these skankolas? The first one is just repulsive to me to even look at. The others look... trashy. The first one's tattoos make me itchy. Granted, I'm not a tattoo person. I don't hate them; I'm just not getting one myself.
Obviously, not every man (or woman) who cheats on their spouse is a bad person. People cheat for lots of reasons. Jesse James has 3 children. The youngest, Sunni, has been raised by Sandra Bullock since she was an infant. By bonking - I guess we're up to 4 now - of these women, he has really jeopardized the stability of this little girls' life. To say nothing of how unbelievable the timing is, with SB having just won the oscar. She thanked him often - very sweetly, and I think sincerely... ugh. I hate to think of how she must have felt. I'd hoped there might not be a Tiger-like menagerie, but we're already up to 4...
And speaking of Tiger... what is wrong with him? Really. I mean really. What an asshole. Have you read the texts he sent to one of the girls, which she has now released and posted on her own website. Some of them are just filthy and misogynistic. I am no prude. But those texts... man. There is no way Elin will be able to get past those. I hope not, anyway.
The Tiger Woods story is one that I would like not to be interested in, but I can't help it. Trashy and unimportant news, clearly, but it is/was compelling enough that after years of not doing so, I finally gave in and added TMZ to my bookmarks.
What bothers me the most about Tiger Woods? Well, back in December, it bugged me when I heard how cheap he was; to his mistresses but more so, to the wait staff in restaurants. Asshole. But, now I think he probably has some degree of socio-pathos to his personality. Easy to say now that I never liked him, but I never did. I am not a golfer and I've never watched him play, ever (that won't change). I thought he was boring and uninteresting. Not now. Now I wonder what makes a man, with two sweet babies at home, go and pursue girl, after girl, after girl, after girl... I don't care that many of the girls are employed in some sort of sex trade. That doesn't make them any sluttier than your average girl who enthusiastically has sex with married men. There's more dignity in being paid for sex outright, than doing it with a longterm plan of saving texts and lawyering up with Gloria Allred, in order to fake-cry your 15 minutes of fame out of trash tv. "I thought I was the only one"... boo effing hoo.
The really gross part of this is that he had unprotected sex, over and over, with teams of girls; all of whom live high risk lifestyles, sexually. Then, he went home to his wife and BABIES. Where is the guilt? I can see this happening once. You're out, drinking, your guy friends are there, girls are all over all of you... I can see how that can happen. But, the next day, when your 3 yr old looks at you and says, "I love you, Daddy", don't you just hate yourself? Really. Every time I see the same footage of Tiger at some big tournament, and walking over to his wife, mother and baby girl, who he takes from his mother and kisses on the face, I wonder who was he last kissing, and where. Gross.
How big a narcissist do you have to be to think you are above catching (and then passing on) something from the two prostitutes you just paid to have a threesome with you?
Tiger is an asshole.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Katey
This post is for mothers. And, a few fathers.
Kate is ready to potty train. Every time she pees, she tells me a moment later. "Mama, I pee..." When she is creating something more significant than pee, she hides. She hides, but only where she can still see me. Like, in my closet, with the door half closed, but peeking around the corner. One of her favourite places to do this is between the chair and the tv stand in the living down. She crouches down, focuses on hiding from me/watching me, and fills her diaper. Then she announces it.
These are signs that she is ready to potty train. So, today we tried. And a half hour in, we had pee in her potty chair. "Mama! I pee in potty!" "Bradley, I pee in potty! Look my pee!!" Proud moments for all.
But, pee is all she will do. Reluctant to do anything else on the potty but pee. So, to encourage her, I moved her potty chair to one of her top secret favourite places for hiding and sniping. Took her diaper off and watched her walk to her potty in the private location. She sat on the potty, and we gave her the privacy she desired.
What we didn't see was her then go and hide behind the potty and poo on the floor. Which she did. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon-style. So, we'll put the potty chair away for a few more weeks and try again soon.
Kate is ready to potty train. Every time she pees, she tells me a moment later. "Mama, I pee..." When she is creating something more significant than pee, she hides. She hides, but only where she can still see me. Like, in my closet, with the door half closed, but peeking around the corner. One of her favourite places to do this is between the chair and the tv stand in the living down. She crouches down, focuses on hiding from me/watching me, and fills her diaper. Then she announces it.
These are signs that she is ready to potty train. So, today we tried. And a half hour in, we had pee in her potty chair. "Mama! I pee in potty!" "Bradley, I pee in potty! Look my pee!!" Proud moments for all.
But, pee is all she will do. Reluctant to do anything else on the potty but pee. So, to encourage her, I moved her potty chair to one of her top secret favourite places for hiding and sniping. Took her diaper off and watched her walk to her potty in the private location. She sat on the potty, and we gave her the privacy she desired.
What we didn't see was her then go and hide behind the potty and poo on the floor. Which she did. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon-style. So, we'll put the potty chair away for a few more weeks and try again soon.
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