ahhh...much better

first of all, wanted to let you know that the Lord provided an awesome day for us today. so thank you for all of your prayers and well wishes.

today could have been touch and go. seeing as how it was the first day back to school. not for goo, but for big h. and i'll be honest. i was sad.

(and screech goes the record player.)

i know. i was really sad to have my little man head back to school. and no, it wasn't because i was going to be stuck at home with goo. i promise. but i really enjoyed being with big h over the holiday. we have really gotten to that point where we really enjoy each other. i rarely have to discipline him, and when i do, it's over heart issues, not clear right and wrong. i wouldn't dare say we're pals. because i am not here to be pals with him. but wow. the relationship we have now is so incredible. i love it. love him.

but don't think the thought that i was going to be home alone with home girl wasn't terrifying. because it was. but last night, as i was drifting off to sleep at a much later time than i had hoped, i just prayed for peace and smooth transitions. and if a smooth transition wasn't on tap for today, then let me be ok with it. and just move on.

but amazingly enough, it was an awesome day. big h woke up at a normal time, and we watched our customary imagination movers (dumbest show ever) in bed together. then, he did all of his morning chores (not really chores, but things to accomplish to start the day -- clothes on, jammies in the closet, make his bed, brush teeth, etc.). and goo still wasn't asleep. i decided it would be best to just get her out of bed, straight into the car to school. which is what we did. which is also why she got an eggo muffin top and some orange juice for breakfast in the car. but she was happy, with some suh-weet bed head. when we got to school, she wanted to be held, which was so ideal. and she didn't request to carry ALL EIGHTY-FIVE of her precious belongings inside. which was also ideal. she got to say hi to her teacher, and we dropped big h off. we got back in the car with no sadness.

headed to 7/11 for a cup of coffee. don't judge. i wanted a cup of coffee. but our coffee pot at home broke. WAY SAD. and it's kind of low on the priority list. and i would've stopped at starbucks. but i wanted to have extra money this month for, you know, groceries and electricity. i'm so frugal.

my 7/11 coffee? there's a reason it's $1.22. period.

anyway, we got home and played and played and played. mostly with playmobils and dollhouses. but when i needed to change her diaper, she just automatically laid down. which she has, um, NEVER done. and then i had a pink sweater and jeans ready for her to wear. fully prepared for a fit. and perhaps some clothing wrestling. always a good time.

and she pointed at the clothes and said, "uh pink wetter. i wear it."

come again? what in the free world? i can't tell you how much high-fiving was going on. lots and lots of it.

then, we had lunch and watched a max and ruby. i put her to bed, and she slept until i had to get her out of her bed to go pick up big h. i'm sure it was a little like groundhog day for her. getting woken up from sleep both times just to get in the car to head to school.

the afternoon was uneventful. which, by the way, is an awesome thing lately.

and then. get this?

she got in the bath. voluntarily.

didn't hurt that dad made a trail of bath toys leading up to the bathtub. he's always trying to show me up. darn him.

and then i put her bed. with NO cuh-yi-ing.

can i get an amen?

and so...

(here is my poor excuse for a segue.)

here is what has been on my mind for several weeks. feel free to feel sorry for me. it's sad that sometimes i can't get this kind of stuff off my mind.

and even worse? i talk to buz about it at night.

what, you ask?

kids' shows and their ridiculousness. that's not a word? well, it is today.

if you don't have children or if you have children but have never let them watch television, you can go about your normal business.

when big h was little, sometimes the only thing that would calm him down, like EVER, was baby einstein. that julie clark is a genius. pure genius.

those were the only shows he ever watched. until he was about eighteen months old. and someone told us about the wiggles. i'm not going to lie. i totally heart the wiggles. still. big h and i would sit in "big room" (i.e. living room) together and sing songs. actually, no, we wouldn't. because he wouldn't let me. "NO SING! NO SING!" but i imagined in my most beautiful of dreams that we would sing together. but we did love to be together. and watch all of their songs and talk of dorothy the dinosaur and wags the dog and everyone else.

they became a part of our family for a long time. big h learned his colors by their shirt colors.

during that time, he and i also got to watch thomas the train. he had a slight obsession. but it wasn't a great show. because, honestly, i would've like to have knocked thomas around a time or two with all of his poor choices. and somehow he came out on top in the end. every. time. and don't get me started on sir topham hatt. seriously? all he did was eat jelly donuts while all of his trains were bumping into each other and forgetting passengers and running through barber shops. and all he had to say was "you have caused confusion and delay?" really? that's all you can muster up?

so when big h started talking and having interest in more shows, we would always say no, followed by "we're not going to watch that show. it doesn't teach us good lessons."

that line has helped me so much over the last three and a half years. he still tells me that so-and-so watches whatever show but he doesn't want to because it doesn't teach us good lessons.

this kid? i love him.

so as we've tuned in to more shows, i've noticed some things. and there are days i can't get them off my mind.

so allow me. and please know. these are my opinions. and i am in no way trying to hurt anyone's feelings. just getting some things out of my head.

wonder pets
seriously. this show. i L-O-V-E this show. i think it might be the best show out there. they are always helping each other. and singing. oh, how i love the singing. i think i might actually watch it even if big h and goo weren't here. for the record, ming ming is my favorite. and goo's.

dora the explorer
oh my heavens. my daughter loves dora. and i'll be honest, i cannot stand dora. first of all, let's talk about her fashion sense. orange and pink? and white shoes? and really? the backpack?

and every time i watch dora with goo, i think of the saturday night live skit. it's a bit "after hours," so please don't watch it with your children. and forgive my current sense of humor. it's been a rough one around here the last couple of days.


SNL - TV Funhouse - Maraka - NBC - Saturday Night Live

go diego go
i enjoy diego. and i like baby jaguar. i do find it funny that he appears to be a school-aged kid who works at a makeshift tree house where a computer can function.

and i would love it if my camera talked to me. on second thought, maybe not.

max and ruby
i have a love-hate relationship with max and ruby. i love it because i love the theme song. and i think max is a pretty cute bunny. but really? where are max and ruby's parents? and why are they allowed to walk to grandma's alone? and would you just die if ruby was your big sister? or even your babysitter? and how frustrated would you be with max? he only says one word per episode. and the trouble he causes all the time. oh my. but you can't help but love him. he's so cute.

charlie and lola
again...where are their parents? but again...one of my favorite shows. last summer, when big h and goo went to visit my brother and family, somehow all of the children were either napping or playing in another room. and my brother and i? still finished the show. it's freaking awesome.

mickey mouse clubhouse
not much to say about the age old classic. but his voice? well, i can't take it for very long.

wow wow wubbzy
i adore this show. i couldn't tell you what in the world these "creatures" are other than robots. but i love them. i love the song. i love that they always help each other. i love that they always apologize when they hurt each other's feelings. i love it.

yo gabba gabba
oh my. we've only seen one episode of this. but i think i was the one with nightmares that night. and the guy on there? how skinny is he?

backyardigans
we don't watch this anymore. but i used to love it. those friends could groove. i mean, really groove. and we bought a ton of the songs on iTunes. and i love listening to them. in case you were wondering, my favorite song was boinga.

imagination movers
i have adequately documented my opinion on this show. if you like it, more power to you. i am so annoyed with it every morning. but it buys me thirty minutes of GOLD cuddle time with my 5-year-old. and so it continues.

little einsteins
i cannot find fault with this show. i love it. neither of my kids really wants to watch it much. which makes me sad. i love it. i do have to say that my least favorite is annie. really? is her voice that great? leo is great. such a leader. june. well, i think buz has a crush on june. and quincy is the coolest cat and can play every instrument on the planet. again. julie clark and her brilliance.

johnny and the sprites
oh. my. really? the sprites? whose names are those of kitchen spices? we have watched one or two of these. and then i had to put my foot down. i couldn't handle it.

dan zanes house party
oh. my. is he on something?

captain carlos
love him. love that his sister is the one who tempts him with bad food choices. us girls. we are bad influences. but thank you, carlos for subtly teaching my kiddo which foods are junk foods.

the doodlebops
oh. my. i can't discuss this. we have never watched this. ever.

jojo's circus
jojo is the cutest little clown girl around. weird that her pet lion only makes squeaking noises. but i'll overlook it. and i LOVE when jojo does yoga.

and so, that concludes janet's summary of toddler shows. clearly, i have no life. it's ok. at least i've admitted it, right?

again, thanks for the prayers and advice re: goo. God so knew i needed a nice day with her. and a nice day, i got.