Annoying Cartoons

#14. Why I don't like a certain cartoon....

 I'm not sure exactly why, but I've always despised SpongeBob Square Pants since the show first aired. I don't recall ever watching an episode, but I've seen enough previews. I cannot stand his voice. At all. I find him to be annoying and a bit crude. Patrick just seems like a "dumb" character. Regardless, JP loves SpongeBob. We're fortunate to not have cable, and primarily rely on PBS for our cartoons.

When we first had Hunter, Perry and I made a pact to not allow Dora in our home. So far so good. Closest thing we have is a Diego sippy cup. I'm fine with Diego, but Perry and I have a mutual hate for Dora. I think most of it has stemmed from the remaking of her. She doesn't even look like a little girl anymore! I like that she incorporates the Spanish language into the show, but I just don't care at all for her character.

 

Don't get me wrong on this one, I LOVE Winnie the Pooh. And I can't say I dislike Darby, who is Christopher Robin's younger cousin. She replaced him a few years back because, to my knowledge, the person who Christopher Robin portrayed passed away. Darby was then created to carry on the adventures with Winnie the Pooh. I guess the show is now called Tigger and Friends. I like the original!

The Poop Song

#14. I can't believe my kids like....

The "Poop Song". Of all the songs, they have to like the poop song. Every time Aunt Bobby comes over, they ask and ask and ask until she shows them this song on youtube.They both squeal in delight every time.



As it states, it's a song for 2 year olds who are ready to do #2. I can see how it can be helpful but now its just annoying. Hunter was pooping in the toilet long before this song, just not consistently, and still isn't. But we're working on it.

As for me...I took a bath with the boys the other day. Not something I normally do. Hunter sat behind me as I was trying to get JP in the tub. Then I hear it. Hunter started sing the song...."I feel it. I feel it. I feeeel it. I know what to do, when I'm about to poop...." Not really a good choice of song when your bathing. I was outta that tub quicker than I could think!

Mister Dog

#13. Child's creepiest toy...

I'm not sure the boys have any creepy toys. So I'm taking this one in a little different direction. I find their book, Mr. Dog, by Margaret Wise Brown to be fairly creepy. I'm just not a fan of the book at all. It was given to Hunter for his 1st birthday from Grandpa because it happened to be one of Perry's favorite books when he was little, though he doesn't remember this.

In the book, Crispin's Crispian is a dog that belongs to himself. He takes a walk one day and runs into a little boy. He then takes the boy home and invites the little boys to live with him. Crispian makes the boys supper and then they go to bed. I read this book to the boys, solely because they love it. I don't love it. I don't like that Mr. Dog walks around with a pipe in his mouth throughout the book. I know, this book was written in 1952 when that was acceptable. But I don't like to see it in children's books. I find it quite creepy that this boys just met the dog, and is now going home to live with him. Which isn't okay either....where are this boy's parents?! Did I mention that this dog looks like a bum? Yeah, he has his own "two story doghouse", which happens to be in someones backyard, but the book makes him look homeless. Have you seen his hat?

Maybe I'm just reading into the book a little too much, but if given the choice, I would probably make it disappear. Because the kids love it, and can't see what I see, it'll remain on the bookshelf for a bit longer. Or until one of them points out that he is smoking...

M&M Fairy

I love being mom. 100%. I wouldn't change it for the world. 

What I don't love is bed time. Hunter and I fight just about every night. Nothing seems to work with this kid. I've tried everything I can think of. Bedtime stories, singing songs, laying with him, rubbing his back, a combination of them together to create a routine, them on their own, prayers, watching an episode of a tv show before bed to calm him down...nothing. This kid will not stay in his bed long enough to be tired. He can wake up at 8am and not take a nap, and still have enough energy to fight with me until 10 pm. It's emotionally draining. Every night. 

And then came the M&M Fairy. I don't know what she looks like, but she brings Hunter "m's" when he stays in his bed. Its worked off and on. I ask him at bed time if he wants the M Fairy to come visit. Of course he says yes, and then proceeds to tell me where she currently is. Frequently she's at the hotel (where I work), other times she's upstairs watching a movie. Sometimes I have to go wake her up because she's sleeping. At least he keeps track of her!

I find it quite humorous how it normally plays out though. Regardless of where she's at, I tell him I'll give her a call and see if she can come visit him, if he can stay in his bed. He happily agrees and then lays in his bed waiting, other times, not so much. If he's still in his bed when I check on him, I'll give him 3 M&M's, because 3 is his favorite number or something... And he's always excited about it, because the M Fairy came to see him. How does he not know it's me?  

At nap time, I'll place a couple on his pillow for when he wakes up. The look on his face is priceless when he wakes up to find them! Like Christmas every day. But not every day, and not every night. I try to use the M fairy as a last resort, just because I don't like having to bribe him, especially with candy. After fighting for hours though....

What bed time routines do you use for your kids?

A Vacation

#12. A vacation I would like to take this year

Let me recap last year first by saying I traveled a lot. 2011 was a very busy travel year for us. I went to visit my home town at least 6 times (which is quite a bit considering it's 4.5 hrs away) but most was wedding related. It still counts. In February, Perry and I went to Spokane for a parenting seminar. I flew to Tacoma in May and then Perry and I drove to Roseburg, OR in June. Later in June, my sisters and I met in Spokane for a girls weekend. After our wedding, Perry and I visited Jamaica for a week.  Shortly after that, Perry & I and the boys made a trip to Spokane to do Christmas shopping. And how could I forgot? Perry was in Phoenix for a whole month training. So it doesn't seem like a vacation is in our near future, given all the travel we did last year!

With that said, our trip to Spokane has turned out to be an annual thing. We always enjoy taking the boys to see the big Red Wagon in the park. Hopefully this year we'll be able to take them to the kids museum there too!

As for a vacation though.... I'm not sure where I'd pick! But I'll tell you this: When Perry is done working overnights, and I regain my sanity, we are taking a family vacation to somewhere! Somewhere we haven't been. Somewhere close, but far enough away to feel like a vacation. I think taking the boys on a train ride would be lots of fun! But I grew up near the train, so other than the train ride, I don't know where we'd go. I've been to all the stops before... Oh the choices!

I think Yellowstone Park would be fun to visit. I was there when I was young, but hardly remember it.I vaguely remember seeing Old Faithful and it was a sight to see! Going in the summertime would be fun to do as well. We have a bunch of camping equipment that we've been given for Christmas and showers and birthdays, but we've yet to use it. We haven't really done anything "nature" related yet with the boys. We talk about taking them fishing and such but just haven't made time for it. Montana is such a wonderful place to live, I just wish we could make time to enjoy more of it. On my bucket list....

Tools Tools Tools

The boys and I went to visit Grandma yesterday at work. She had presents for them from when they visited Uncle Cameron and Aunt Erin. They were so antsy to get home and open them! And they absolutely loved what they received!

For Christmas, Santa brought them a tool bench, complete with a hammer, wrench, drill, pliers, screws, and wood pieces. Uncle Cameron and Aunt Erin gave them some nice additions to their collections!

JP was excited to get a nail gun with goggles. He's been "nailing" everything since.

Hunter was anxious for me to get his reciprocating saw and sander out of the box. Daddy was sleeping during all this so we had to leave the sander up on a shelf. 

Rule is, they have to have their safety goggles on when their playing with their new tools. JP looks so cute in his safety goggles. They frequently put them on upside which makes them look super cute!

Update on JP's Fingers

Due to his owwie,  we've been playing doctor a lot lately. And he's been loving it!

I've had quite a few people asking how JP's fingers were doing. Overall good. With the exception of his ring finger, which was burned worse than I thought. I hadn't been home with him since it happened. Last night after dinner the boys were allowed to split an ice cream sandwich for dessert. Silly me told JP to get the ice cream off his finger...except it was a blister. A massive blister! I want to pop it so bad, but I know I'm not supposed to.

It doesn't seem to bother him, but he didn't want to get a photo of it regardless. Was more interested in the band-aide. I don't blame him. Looks like we're back to the aloe.