Do Over Day
Feb. 14th, 2007 01:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lydamorehouseHappy Valentine’s Day, btw. Too bad mine is sucking the big one so far – although it’s early. I have hope that it will turn around.
I’m not usually one to put a lot of stock in Hallmark holidays (or discredited Saint’s days – take your pick), but I’ve always kind of liked Valentine’s Day because I’m a big-hearted romantic who loves to shower gifts on those I love at the slightest provocation. Shawn will be receiving the traditional bouquet this year (which I ordered months ago) as well as a gift certificate to a scrap booking store at the MoA.
But Mason woke up whiney. He’s been crying at the slightest hint of a “no,” which is just plain annoying. Worse, having watched “Super Nanny” the other night, I feel compelled to be extra firm and try to act as if all this whining and crying doesn’t bother me, which makes it frustrate me more. Never watch “Super Nanny” as a parent. While the advice is good – be consistent, set rules, and for God’s sake spend some time with your kids -- you can’t help but start to wonder what Super Nanny would say if she showed up in her big black London taxi at your house. First, she’d be appalled at the squalor. Then, she might notice we’re lesbians. Then… aye, there’s the stuff we don’t want anyone to know – like how little patience I REALLY have when Mason is clingy and needy or… who knows what sins I commit? I am often far more grouchy with him than I wish I were – in fact, we’ve made a joke about it, how sometimes I turn into the “grouchy monster” who roars, which is then followed my me roaring and chasing him around the house until he giggles. (It’s actually a good mood breaker for both of us).
In other child-related news, Mason, Shawn and I visited the open house at Farnsworth last night. What an awesome school! The school building itself is old, but well loved. Shawn and I both had the experience of “coming home,” as the place felt a lot like elementary schools did in the 70s. This is not a dis. The Pre-K teacher talked to Mason and engaged him in conversation. Plus, who can resist a principle who takes his magnet’s aeronautics focus so seriously as to address his messages from “Mission Control”? We’ve found our second choice.
Hooray.
In fish/cat news, our vet Dr. Holly is experimenting in weight loss on our cats. She went to a conference and saw a presentation about why fat cats keep getting fatter, and she thought of us. (How nice!) Anyway, we’re changing our cat’s diet, which had been 100% dry food, to 100% wet food. We had a long discussion on the phone about the things she wants us to keep track of, besides our cat’s weight – cost, messiness – to see if this sort of diet is really do-able for the average pet owner (and, of course, whether or not it works.) Interestingly, she did a lot of research into the protein content of various commercially available cat foods and recommends, of all products, “Fancy Feast.” The idea, I guess, is that cats are carnivores, yet most dry foods contain a lot of carbohydrates. High protein diets supposedly help them lose weight because it’s more like, well, if they ate mice all the time.
We’ll see.
And since I was at PetSmart… I walked out with two glass/ghost shrimp and an orange dwarf gourami, which I totally should not have bought. Given that “Dip” is chasing Orange around the tank right now and nipping her/his tail, I suspect Dip is feeling a bit territorial. Plus, Dip still has white spots on his fins, so the tank is still sick. I guess I’m hoping that Dip will get a new lease on life chasing this pretty orange thang around the tank. I’m normally a responsible pet owner, but I’m apparently stupid when it comes to fish.
I’m not usually one to put a lot of stock in Hallmark holidays (or discredited Saint’s days – take your pick), but I’ve always kind of liked Valentine’s Day because I’m a big-hearted romantic who loves to shower gifts on those I love at the slightest provocation. Shawn will be receiving the traditional bouquet this year (which I ordered months ago) as well as a gift certificate to a scrap booking store at the MoA.
But Mason woke up whiney. He’s been crying at the slightest hint of a “no,” which is just plain annoying. Worse, having watched “Super Nanny” the other night, I feel compelled to be extra firm and try to act as if all this whining and crying doesn’t bother me, which makes it frustrate me more. Never watch “Super Nanny” as a parent. While the advice is good – be consistent, set rules, and for God’s sake spend some time with your kids -- you can’t help but start to wonder what Super Nanny would say if she showed up in her big black London taxi at your house. First, she’d be appalled at the squalor. Then, she might notice we’re lesbians. Then… aye, there’s the stuff we don’t want anyone to know – like how little patience I REALLY have when Mason is clingy and needy or… who knows what sins I commit? I am often far more grouchy with him than I wish I were – in fact, we’ve made a joke about it, how sometimes I turn into the “grouchy monster” who roars, which is then followed my me roaring and chasing him around the house until he giggles. (It’s actually a good mood breaker for both of us).
In other child-related news, Mason, Shawn and I visited the open house at Farnsworth last night. What an awesome school! The school building itself is old, but well loved. Shawn and I both had the experience of “coming home,” as the place felt a lot like elementary schools did in the 70s. This is not a dis. The Pre-K teacher talked to Mason and engaged him in conversation. Plus, who can resist a principle who takes his magnet’s aeronautics focus so seriously as to address his messages from “Mission Control”? We’ve found our second choice.
Hooray.
In fish/cat news, our vet Dr. Holly is experimenting in weight loss on our cats. She went to a conference and saw a presentation about why fat cats keep getting fatter, and she thought of us. (How nice!) Anyway, we’re changing our cat’s diet, which had been 100% dry food, to 100% wet food. We had a long discussion on the phone about the things she wants us to keep track of, besides our cat’s weight – cost, messiness – to see if this sort of diet is really do-able for the average pet owner (and, of course, whether or not it works.) Interestingly, she did a lot of research into the protein content of various commercially available cat foods and recommends, of all products, “Fancy Feast.” The idea, I guess, is that cats are carnivores, yet most dry foods contain a lot of carbohydrates. High protein diets supposedly help them lose weight because it’s more like, well, if they ate mice all the time.
We’ll see.
And since I was at PetSmart… I walked out with two glass/ghost shrimp and an orange dwarf gourami, which I totally should not have bought. Given that “Dip” is chasing Orange around the tank right now and nipping her/his tail, I suspect Dip is feeling a bit territorial. Plus, Dip still has white spots on his fins, so the tank is still sick. I guess I’m hoping that Dip will get a new lease on life chasing this pretty orange thang around the tank. I’m normally a responsible pet owner, but I’m apparently stupid when it comes to fish.
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no subject
Date: 2007-02-14 07:49 pm (UTC)I bought two new fish today too, after my tank has been vacant for two months. Two cute little white and orange fantails. Unfortunately a lot of my tank broke down in the last two months and so required the purchase of a new filter and air bubbler system, which ended up costing quite a bit more than I'd wanted to spend, but it was either do it or take the tank down and have no fish at all. I like fishies.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-14 08:30 pm (UTC)My ego can't bear to consider just how abominably daft I must be, otherwise. My fish spent their brief flashes of existence flinging themselves out of my tank across the room--what does that say about the pH balance?
no subject
Date: 2007-02-14 08:35 pm (UTC)Plus our washer died yesterday. This is shaping up to be quite a week.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-15 09:35 pm (UTC)Luckily (knocking on pre-Christian wood) this is just been an extremely fallow writing time (also something Mercury rules).... but I'm watching our pipes and other water applicances.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-15 09:37 pm (UTC)Farnsworth
Date: 2007-02-14 09:33 pm (UTC)And as an aside, if you drive over to the Mn/DOT Office of Aeronautics
222 East Plato Boulevard St. Paul, Minnesota, which is kind of across from Awada's restaurant on Plato across the river from downtown, you can get a heap of kids books about airplanes and such for Mason. . .for free. Just saunter up to the front desk and ask them for the free kids' publications. Some of them are really nice.
And they have online games, too, some of which feature my brilliant artwork from years past: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/aero/aved/games.html
Just thought I'd tell you, since you are looking at Farnsworth. :-)
no subject
Date: 2007-02-14 10:47 pm (UTC)Super Nanny ... lol
Date: 2007-02-14 11:09 pm (UTC)Although it was kinda fun to feel superior, for a moment, to the poor parents on that show ... it's sooooooooo easy to see what to do with someone else's kids!
A good antidote for the self-doubt induced by SN: The Mother's Dance, Harriet Lerner. She's brutally honest about the range of emotions a mother feels about her children.
The Nanny
Date: 2007-02-14 11:32 pm (UTC)Besides, you know you're a good parent because Mason smiles so much.
-Mel
no subject
Date: 2007-02-15 06:36 am (UTC)Valentine's Day
Date: 2007-02-15 03:04 pm (UTC)