Monday, April 03, 2006

More about Leif!

So let's see, that comment about Leif not asking to be changed and so therefore he isn't ready to potty train... I spoke too soon. As of this weekend, when he goes poop, we ask him if he went, then he goes immediately in to his bedroom and lays down on the floor to be changed. Of course once there you have exactly 10 seconds to get the job done before he decides you aren't joining him and he should play instead.

I am feeling tossed up on this right now because he seems so young still. And he is a boy. And I don't want to push the issue only to have him push back and end up having a bad experience. So I am trying to balance between encouraging him without pushing.

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AB and I are oh so tired of Nemo. Not only can AB and I recite it all, but Leif is starting to as well. This weekend he told me a number of times, "I'm Nemo". (And if you tell him back, "No, I'm Nemo", he thinks you are the funniest thing ever.) He likes to "speak whale" and he does speak whale to the "biggest tail of all" page in Tails. And the part where Nemo becomes part of the tank gang? Leif likes to "ooh ah ah" right along with the gang and squeal when Nemo successfully swims through the ring of fire.

I am laughing at the "I'm Nemo" bit since I renamed myself Ernie when I was a kid. I truly wanted everyone to call me Ernie. When they didn't I was always excessively disappointed. I do remember my grandfather bought into this wholeheartedly though.

So in an attempt to give Nemo the boot, at least temporarily, we bought A Bug's Life at Costco. I thought it was sure to grab his attention, it has to be the Pixar animation, doesn't it? Apparently NOT. And the third attempt at Brother Bear also failed miserably, complete with a crying, screaming tantrum. Spoiled child.

I have tried Tivo'ing a few TV shows with limited success. Teletubbies is favored, but Little Einsteins has shown indication of some acceptance (mommy and daddy REALLY are gunning for Little Einsteins). Bob the Builder was a flop and even though I can do Teletubbies, I seem to have a real block with The Wiggles. I hate it. Leif seemed halfway interested. But this is also compounded by the fact that it is opposite Sesame Street in the mornings and is only available at that time. So I am sending the Wiggles packing.

Leif still really likes Baby Einstein videos thankfully. And I like their 30 minute running time. But for those occasions when I need him occupied with something other than hanging from my legs for 1 hour (like at 5:15am and he is up, or while I am cooking dinner) it appears that I am stuck with Nemo for the time being.

Oh, I should state though that Leif does really like "Bearcities" (aka Jungle Book - Bear Necessities). However, I only have this on VHS, which means the 13" TV in our bedroom since we have long abandoned the VCR on our main TV. So can I just say that I *hate* Disney's whole "vault" racket? Hate it. Sell the freakin' videos all the time! OK? (I fully expect it will make its next emergence from "the vault" when Leif is 13.)

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So my Monday has been hectic to say the least and I have gotten little accomplished. I have been continually interrupted by panicked phone calls for one thing or another. I was looking forward to the quietness of parents being gone for spring break and the other half of the area scientists and engineers being in Hawaii at a specialty conference. Yeah, they are all gone, but that means that us saps left behind are responsible for picking up the pieces of whatever was neglected with the mass exodus.

And I just got a phone call from my PLM telling me to wrap up a proposal I have been writing off and on now for a few months. (More off than on.) With it not having a deadline, it has been shoved back to my backburner. I told her I would have it done by April 30th. Now to sit down and mark off my calendar to reflect this.

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