The Kind of Mom I Am

We woke this morning to a full on power outage.  The little guy was standing at my door crying and I quickly realized it was going to be a long day. Saturdays are always long days, but this had an extra special "long day" feeling.

Realizing there was not going to be any snuggling in bed watching cartoons and dozing, we all headed downstairs for some cereal and fruit. The power was still not back by the time we finished breakfast.  What next?  We decided it would be fun to go to the park.  So we all got dressed, packed our drinks and snacks, went to the front door to get our shoes, and BAM; the power came back on. 

I immediately told everyone to take off their shoes and go sit in front of the TV.  I got the kids set up with some quality programming, made a pot of coffee, cleaned the kitchen, started the dishwasher and stripped our bed to get the laundry going (I had found children's snot caked onto my duvet cover earlier in the morning).

So yes, it is super lame that I parked the kids in front of the TV just as we were about to go play, but I did redeem myself.  After the show ended and I was up to speed on all my basic chores, we put those shoes back on and went to the park for an hour.  And that was how we got through our Saturday morning.  Let's see how the afternoon goes.

Screen Time

As a dedicated parent, I understand that I need to limit and control screen time.  Luckily my kids are at an age where "screen time" means TV, not all the other gadgets available these days (I sound old right now, don't I?).  Honestly, as a Stay-at-Home-Mama, I do not know where I would be without our precious screen time.

I generally like to follow the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics: no more than 2 hours of quality programming per day.  I also tend to break those 2 hours up strategically so I can get through the day myself.  I do not beat myself up when I turn on the TV.  I find it a practical way for my kids to chill out a bit and for me to get some vital work done (like cooking food that we can all eat).

I recently came across What to Watch: The Best Children's Television by Darienne Hosley Stewart at Babycenter.com's site.  It is worth taking a look at to see if there's any shows you could rotate into your viewing schedule (if you have one, that is).  I like that there's a little summary of the series you can review before giving the show a try. 

We recently set our DVR to tape Dinosaur Train (PBS) and WordWorld (PBS).  I cannot tell you how much my kids dig these shows.  They LOVE them, and because they LOVE them, so do I.  I love feeling like they're actually learning stuff while they sit in front of the TV.  It makes me feel good about my parenting, because let's admit it, there's a lot these shows can teach that I can't (I am not a dinosaur expert in any way, shape or form).  And frankly, there's a lot I can get done while they're watching and learning that I can't get done if the TV is not on.

A word of warning, the theme song for Dinosaur Train is extremely catchy.  You may find yourself singing it at odd times of the day when there are no children present.

My Time

So, my husband's hockey team, the Montreal Canadiens, just defied all the odds and beat the Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs. For the past 3 games, I have been expecting them to be eliminated and to return to a world without constant hockey. It's not that I'm not a fan of hockey, it's that my husband is so nervous during these games that he's no fun to be around. It's easier for everyone if I just clear out.

As such, I have been taking advantage of these games. This past week I've been out for dinner with a friend and to a movie by myself. Dinner was fantastic (I even got there early and drank some wine and read the paper in peace and quiet). Going to a movie was awesome, even though I was alone at a movie called "Date Night." I had forgotten how all encompassing the theater experience is as compared to my living room. Escapism should never be underrated.

Another escapist thing we've picked up lately is the show "Parenthood." We've been watching it since the series started a few weeks back, and have really been enjoying it. I have to admit it makes me cry almost every time. And I'm not a big crier. They really seem to get a lot of the whole parenting thing. If you haven't seen it, you should check it out.

That's Entertainment

My husband worked late last night, so I must admit we were watching the Baby Einstein videos by 5:00 pm. When the DVD ended I flipped over to regular TV (which I never do). I went to On Demand. And I discovered the coolest thing: there's a kids section! Who knew!

I flipped through the many options and I found a "Bilingual Baby" section. We chose the "French 1" video and it was awesome! The babe loved it, I loved it, what else do you need? We watched it twice, and then watched "Italian 1".

In the world of more adult oriented entertainment, my husband and I have been watching Tina Fey's "30 Rock" on DVD at night. It is too funny. If you're looking for something new to watch, give it a shot. It is a lovely short escape from reality and makes us both laugh out loud (which is rare). Nothing wrong with a little parental escapism I say.

My Daughter is a Junkie

I don't know how it happened, but the babe has become a Baby Einstein movie addict. It only took a week. We realized we had four DVDs hidden away and pulled them out the weekend before last. The babe automatically thought it was the best thing since sliced bread.

Every morning she'll come downstairs and stand by the TV/DVD player and say "moooie". I must admit that I usually give in. It's really early (by my standards) and I don't want to do anything other than get my breakfast and a cup of tea.

My husband and I have decided we'll let her watch up to three a day (plus her sign language DVD, if necessary). So far I have managed to do one in the morning, one in the very late afternoon (when I'm making dinner), and the "sign and sing" DVD while my husband and I are trying to eat dinner undisturbed.

I'm not counting on these DVDs to make my child brilliant. But I understand her need for some entertainment in life. And if this floats her boat, I'm not going to lose sleep over it. At least I'm not one of the parents who hits the "repeat play" option on the menu bar (although I understand how easy it would be to go down that slippery path).

Can I Please Write Something Now?

All week I think about all the things I want to write about. But the babe hates me being on the computer. She's extremely jealous when I pay attention to something other than her. As I spend all day with her, this can be difficult. When she's upset at me, she'll yell and start misbehaving (pulling on the plants, standing on her hot pink Adirondack chair, pinching me, throwing her toys, etc.). Being on the computer for a part of the day is a basic right, and I'm at a loss on how to handle her jealousy.

This behaviour can also happen if I try to read something, clean something, cook something. You get the picture.

I can not pay attention to her 24/7 and I am starting to wish she was in some kind of part time organized care where she would realize that we sometimes have to entertain ourselves in this world. So on Tuesday we headed over to the Jewish Community Center preschool and put her on the wait list. They only take kids at two, and she'll only be two in December, so the best I can hope for is January 2009. It's a popular place to send your kids in this 'hood, so I'm not sure how good our chances are. But after a year and a half of avoiding child care wait lists, we're officially in the game.

I also ordered The Happiest Toddler on the Block by Harvey Karp and Toddler 411 by Denise Fields and Dr. Ari Brown. I really liked The Happiest Baby on the Block and Baby 411, so hopefully these will live up to my expectations. I want to learn how to communicate with the babe in a more efficient way as I must admit I can be pretty immature in my dealings with her. I have been known to say "Fine, see if I care" a few times a week.

It's funny how much research you do on pregnancy and babies with your first child. But it just seems like there's no time to do any research when you have a toddler. Any tips or advice on dealing with a little love bug/psycho would be appreciated.

The Show

Another first last night. I went to a concert. At night. Without my child. It was awesome. My friend Kim, of Creating Ms. Perfect fame, and I headed over to the Birchmere to see Kathleen Edwards (another Ottawa native). I had not been to a show since October 2006 (Emmylou Harris, also at the Birchmere), and it was so cool to be in a room full of adults listening to some rockin good tunes. If I were a rock star, I'd like to be like Ms. Edwards.

My loving husband was on babysitting duty. It didn't go so well for him. The babe asked for mama for ten minutes straight when they got home (verbally and by signing "mother"). She proceeded to be a pain in the bottom, not eat her food, and not settle down to sleep until an hour of much drama and tears had passed. It sounds as if she took me going to a concert much worse than me going to New York City for an evening. Strange but true.

I will admit I didn't miss the babe last night. There were no tears shed when I did the hand off at my husband's office at 5:45 pm. I can easily handle evening escapades at this point. Now I have to make sure I actually make them happen every once in a while!

Television and Plastics

I'm not sure whether I should be impressed or scared. As I was quickly brushing my teeth/getting ready for sign and sing class this morning, the babe managed to turn on the TV in our bedroom (pre-baby we used to watch the BBC at night before reading and going to sleep--ahhhh, weren't those just the calm and quiet days). She then managed to turn the channel to Sesame Street and, realizing she was happy with what she saw, stopped flipping (Elmo's World had her hooked). The babe was so impressed with herself when I came into the room. It's her 15 month birthday today, so I suppose it's appropriate she can channel surf (despite the fact she doesn't get to watch TV other than NHL hockey with her father and her sign and sing DVD with me).

After class we drove over to Babies R Us (a place I generally like to try and avoid) to pick up a few things. Most of what I bought turned out to be plastic. I am being cautious with plastics as they're not saying good things about them these days, especially in relation to children. For some interesting reading, check out A Mom's Blog which has some quality plastics information. Another good blog to check out for safe plastic product recommendations is Z Recommends.

Everything we bought today was within the acceptable realm. There are 7 kinds of plastics and they say you should avoid numbers 3, 6, and 7. Your best bets with plastics (for food and beverage) are 1, 2, 4, and 5. For the grown ups, keep in mind that plastic water bottles are generally made out of the harmful plastics. I've switched to drinking out of a refillable SIGG container. It's safer and cheaper.

Television and plastics...evil parts of our modern world. Although I'll admit that I bought the Sesame Street "Beginning Together" DVD with Spanish track today as a little treat...after all, the babe and I both need to learn Spanish, and why not start with Elmo and Big Bird?

It's 2008. Time to Get Out of the House

I've been feeling anxious about not having enough to do with the babe. The only reasons we leave the house are to shop, go to the doctor, meet up with people, or to randomly walk around DC. That's not enough. After much thought (mostly over the Holidays), I admitted to myself that it was time to get involved in some organized activities. I'm always a little hesitant about joining things as there's never a guarantee I'll like the activity or the people I'm doing it with. But in the babe's best interest, I had to do something.

My mission of the day was to track some activity down and register. I quickly realized that there are many more toddler programs in the suburbs (not a big surprise there, I guess). After some research, I signed up for two classes in Arlington (Virginia) that sound like a good match:

1. Mom and Toddler Workout, which is apparently a child-friendly workout for Moms that includes everything from step, to yoga and free weights. I don't know how I'll do all that while keeping an eye on the babe, but I'm willing to try.

2. Kindermusik Sign and Sing, which will teach us 130 new signs for the babe to communicate with. Music is somehow incorporated into the learning process. If this class helps the babe communicate, that will certainly be worth the price of admission. I have a friend in Canada who teaches baby sign language. She's encouraged me to find a class and I'm relieved I've finally gotten it together enough to sign up for one. This course uses American Sign Language (ASL) which, according to my friend, is very important.

This will give us two activities a week which will give us ample time for plain old socializing, shopping, cleaning and chilling out in the play zone. I am hoping it's a good balance, because after all, isn't that what all Moms are after?

Those Perfect Days

Autumn is my favorite season. The weather has finally shifted in Washington, DC, which is a major relief. For the past 3 work days (the days my husband is at work, that is), I have gone on a 3 mile walk with the babe and it has been a beautiful thing. We have headed in the Georgetown direction every time as it is so scrumptious when the leaves are changing and people have their Halloween decorations out.

It is the babe's first Autumn and I am so glad I am home to spend it with her. After being trapped in air conditioning for the whole summer, it is such a relief to get outside and be free from the oppressive heat. It's also such a pleasure to not be stuck in an office for my favorite season.

My long walks are providing me a chance to clear my head, get some exercise and fresh air. Although today my walk provided me with some ice cream from Thomas Sweet and new eyebrows at Aveda (please note that it was the first time in over a year I have gotten my eyebrows done!).

I know these perfect days won't last forever, but for now I'm counting my many blessings.

Entertainment

I can't believe I did it again. My daughter has been on a very bad sleep cycle for the past 5 nights. She'll last 2 or 3 hours before waking and expecting food/comfort. That has made me a very very tired Mommy. That said, I got stuck on the couch watching the second episode of "Age of Love" last night. It's a reality dating show where one bachelor (Mark something or other-a tennis player from Australia) dates two groups of women. One group is in their forties and one group in their twenties. Mark has to ultimately pick one women from the "older" group or the "younger" group. Who will he pick? All the women are fighting over this one thirty-year-old guy. Pathetic, right?

I should be disgusted by the premise, and should be refusing to watch such nonsense from 9 to 10pm. But I was kinda hooked after last week. Last night at about ten to nine I declared to my husband that I should just read a book and go to bed. He said I deserved entertainment. I guess I'm just unimpressed with myself because my mind must really be turning to mashed potatoes if this is what I now find "entertaining". What I really needed was sleep, and again I paid the price in lost zzzs. I am, however, looking forward to next Monday at 9pm. I am seriously cheering for the women in their forties.

On another front, I have been listening to a lot of radio. For the first 5 months of my daughter's life I was all about the classical music station. Then I got bored and started scanning for a more entertaining option. I landed on one station which seemed to have some potential. It took me almost half an hour to realize I was listening to Christian rock (mind you I was entertaining a 5 1/2 month old at the same time). I was really beginning to question the quality of today's music when I clued in. I was also wondering how out of the loop I was. I'm happy to report I've now found a cool new station which is playing a very nice variety of groovy tunes. They even reported live from Bonnaroo (a music festival in Manchester, TN I was actually hip enough to attend 4 years ago). The problem with radio is listening to the ads. If only I hadn't packed away most of our CDs to make room for all the baby crap that has taken over our living room!

Anyway, it's about a billion degrees outside so we're off to our other form of entertainment-the pool.