My daughter's latest catch phrase when she makes a mistake on her homework, kicks her brother, spills a drink, forgets to tell me something, says something inappropriate, or puts too much shampoo in her hair is, "My bad".
S'quze me? My bad. I know what it means. I use it on occasion. Rare occasions. But to hear it spewing out of her mouth every other minute is getting a little annoying. No, a lot annoying.
I've asked her to replace it with new phrases. Like, "my mistake" or "I'm sorry" or "whoops". She tries, but still, "my bad" is what we hear.
And I know it's not the worst thing that can come out of her mouth. Hell, when I do something wrong it's usually "shit" or "crap" so I count my blessings when that isn't repeated.
But it got me thinking to a conversation I had with a neighbor who threw out a swear word in front of the kids recently (and to his defense he's usually very good about not swearing) when he said, "they hear worse on the school bus".
And he's right. In fact, this generation of kids seem to use much worse words on Facebook. Or when texting. Or on Twitter. Or walking around the mall.
I'm always stunned and appalled how frequently the "n" word is dropped by youngsters no older than some of my family members. We're talking under 16.
Should we blame an era of technology where spoken words are replaced by typed words so perhaps they don't seem as bad? Is it okay because they are abridging words in texting like FOAD (F#@K off and die) or GTFOH (Get the F#@k outta here) so they are implied but not written?
Will they regret some of their comments (I say YES) when they get older and their digital footprint follows them from place to place, job to job, and uncovers their ignorance and potential prejudices?
I just don't want my kids swearing before their time. Even though I'm not sure when that time is. 13? 16? 18? Never would be nice. I'm sure it will happen. But in our house, phrases like shut up, stupid and crap aren't tolerated. Unless of course you're Mommy. But then she can be stupid and often needs to learn to shut up...crap.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Pull the damn tooth out
Oh.My.God.
My daughter has had a loose bottom tooth for 6 months. No 10 months. No since birth, it seems!
It is all black, covered in plaque because she won't brush it, and hanging by a thread. Or half a thread.
I want to yank it in the middle of the night but I don't know if that's possible? My fear? That she'll clamp down on me like a pit bull and I'll lose a finger.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Tactics?
It's not like she hasn't lost any up til now. Proof in point:
Oh, and there is this one that has NOTHING to do with her teeth, but I just think it's so damn cute:
My daughter has had a loose bottom tooth for 6 months. No 10 months. No since birth, it seems!
It is all black, covered in plaque because she won't brush it, and hanging by a thread. Or half a thread.
I want to yank it in the middle of the night but I don't know if that's possible? My fear? That she'll clamp down on me like a pit bull and I'll lose a finger.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Tactics?
It's not like she hasn't lost any up til now. Proof in point:
Oh, and there is this one that has NOTHING to do with her teeth, but I just think it's so damn cute:
Monday, November 2, 2009
Eggs over easy and Air Force One
"Hey Marketing Lady!"
"Who me?"
"Ya, you...why can't you ever put that Blackberry down? What's with all this tweeting and facebooking?"
No one actually called me "Marketing Lady" or asked those questions, but sometimes I hear those voices in my head as I whip out my Blackberry while waiting for a sandwich at the Deli. Or when we are with the kids at swim lessons and I can sneak a peek at some recent Tweets. Or sitting in traffic NOT MOVING (key phrase is highlighted in case you miss it).
But Sunday morning, in a drowsy, hazy, sugar hangover from all the Halloween fun, we took the kids to a local diner for some eggs and pancakes. We saddled up to the counter where there is a view of the Sunday morning shows on TV, complete with pictures of Barack Obama. My daughter sees it and blurts out how she's learning about Air Force One and Marine One in school.
Then it clicked. Twitter. Air Force One. I follow someone who works for NBC News and he recently shared a picture of him and his crew rushing onto that big ole plane. I'll show it to her...
Maybe not. My Twitter time line didn't go back that far. So I took a chance and tweeted him. He had just tweeted something which meant he might see mine and respond. I mean, he's only in DC and works for NBC News. He'll want to write to some lady in Boston, right?
Well, he responded. In one minute he was searching for pictures for us. Below is our conversation stream and boy did the kids LOVE getting pictures of the President's plane over eggs and chocolate milk. They believed in their heart those pictures were just for them. In fact, when we got home they asked me to print them up for them for their photo books.
*That* is why I tweet. The conversations. The cool people you meet. The idea that a busy cameraman from NBC News would take time out on a Sunday morning to send me links of his pics of Air Force One for my kids. A man I've never met, but who I follow because I find him to be interesting. There has never been anything like Twitter for me. I love to learn, engage and meet people from around the globe in 140 characters at a time.
So if you ever ask the Marketing Lady, I'll tell you social networking is about the instantaneous push and pull of information between people within a community, at any hour of the day, about any subject. Professionally, that is amazing for me and makes my job so incredible. But personally, watching my kids ooh and ahhh over my blackberry to "Mommy's friend who flies with the President"; that can't be measured in fun or cool or incredible because it surpasses that. I guess that's why it always seems like I'm on that little phone - and why I don't think I'll be putting it down anytime soon. And why the kids got a kick out typing their own "thank you" on the little keyboard. Manners first, no matter the technology!
Time line of our conversation:
From me to Jim: @newmediajim: Good morning - you don't have that AF1 pic link handy do u? Want to show my daughter but bberry won't go back that far :( thx!! 9:06 a.m. Nov 1
From Jim to me: @christinelexa hang on, lemme find you a good one 9:07 a.m. Nov 1
From me to Jim: @newmediajim thanks! We're at breakfast and she is so excited. This will make her morning :) 9:11 a.m. Nov 1
From Jim to me: @christinelexa this is AF1 in Tanzania i believe http://is.gd/4K5l0 this is Bahrain http://is.gd/4K5oh 9:13 a.m. Nov 1
From us to Jim: @newmediajim thank you, abby (7yo on a blackberry for the first time) thank you, alex (4yo on a blackberry for the first time). So kind, thx 9:20 a.m. Nov 1
From Jim to me: @christinelexa aww tell them both hi for me! and tell them not to eat all of their halloween candy for breakfast ;) 9:22 a.m. Nov 1
"Who me?"
"Ya, you...why can't you ever put that Blackberry down? What's with all this tweeting and facebooking?"
No one actually called me "Marketing Lady" or asked those questions, but sometimes I hear those voices in my head as I whip out my Blackberry while waiting for a sandwich at the Deli. Or when we are with the kids at swim lessons and I can sneak a peek at some recent Tweets. Or sitting in traffic NOT MOVING (key phrase is highlighted in case you miss it).
But Sunday morning, in a drowsy, hazy, sugar hangover from all the Halloween fun, we took the kids to a local diner for some eggs and pancakes. We saddled up to the counter where there is a view of the Sunday morning shows on TV, complete with pictures of Barack Obama. My daughter sees it and blurts out how she's learning about Air Force One and Marine One in school.
Then it clicked. Twitter. Air Force One. I follow someone who works for NBC News and he recently shared a picture of him and his crew rushing onto that big ole plane. I'll show it to her...
Maybe not. My Twitter time line didn't go back that far. So I took a chance and tweeted him. He had just tweeted something which meant he might see mine and respond. I mean, he's only in DC and works for NBC News. He'll want to write to some lady in Boston, right?
Well, he responded. In one minute he was searching for pictures for us. Below is our conversation stream and boy did the kids LOVE getting pictures of the President's plane over eggs and chocolate milk. They believed in their heart those pictures were just for them. In fact, when we got home they asked me to print them up for them for their photo books.
*That* is why I tweet. The conversations. The cool people you meet. The idea that a busy cameraman from NBC News would take time out on a Sunday morning to send me links of his pics of Air Force One for my kids. A man I've never met, but who I follow because I find him to be interesting. There has never been anything like Twitter for me. I love to learn, engage and meet people from around the globe in 140 characters at a time.
So if you ever ask the Marketing Lady, I'll tell you social networking is about the instantaneous push and pull of information between people within a community, at any hour of the day, about any subject. Professionally, that is amazing for me and makes my job so incredible. But personally, watching my kids ooh and ahhh over my blackberry to "Mommy's friend who flies with the President"; that can't be measured in fun or cool or incredible because it surpasses that. I guess that's why it always seems like I'm on that little phone - and why I don't think I'll be putting it down anytime soon. And why the kids got a kick out typing their own "thank you" on the little keyboard. Manners first, no matter the technology!
Time line of our conversation:
From me to Jim: @newmediajim: Good morning - you don't have that AF1 pic link handy do u? Want to show my daughter but bberry won't go back that far :( thx!! 9:06 a.m. Nov 1
From Jim to me: @christinelexa hang on, lemme find you a good one 9:07 a.m. Nov 1
From me to Jim: @newmediajim thanks! We're at breakfast and she is so excited. This will make her morning :) 9:11 a.m. Nov 1
From Jim to me: @christinelexa this is AF1 in Tanzania i believe http://is.gd/4K5l0 this is Bahrain http://is.gd/4K5oh 9:13 a.m. Nov 1
From us to Jim: @newmediajim thank you, abby (7yo on a blackberry for the first time) thank you, alex (4yo on a blackberry for the first time). So kind, thx 9:20 a.m. Nov 1
From Jim to me: @christinelexa aww tell them both hi for me! and tell them not to eat all of their halloween candy for breakfast ;) 9:22 a.m. Nov 1
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Halloween Costume: Global Warming
Halloween is dressed up and ready to trick or treat - as Global Warming.
70 degrees? That's what they are forecasting for Halloween in New England. Since my daughter was born, we have had unusually warm Halloween nights. And by delaying the fall back of time, it's pretty light out when we hit the road, too.
There is a picture floating around somewhere of me during my beauty-pageant years (ahem) with my coke bottle glasses as round as my head, fake cigar, layers upon layers of clothes, fake mustache and beard, heading out to trick or treat as a Hobo (is that PC to say these days?) because *damn* it used to be COLD!! No, actually, FRIGID, this time of year. When we were even younger we would hide in those plastic masks using our own breath to keep us warm - and when you lifted it up to reveal who was underneath, it felt like someone smacked you in the face with a brick of ice. Brrrrr...
Now, my kids throw on a light sweatshirt that often comes off somewhere along the route when they start to sweat, and we leave the jackets at home as we race around the neighborhood on what tightly challenges Christmas as the best holiday ever in our house.
So come on New Englanders, whip out your sunscreen, flip flops and shorts - it's almost Halloween!!!
70 degrees? That's what they are forecasting for Halloween in New England. Since my daughter was born, we have had unusually warm Halloween nights. And by delaying the fall back of time, it's pretty light out when we hit the road, too.
There is a picture floating around somewhere of me during my beauty-pageant years (ahem) with my coke bottle glasses as round as my head, fake cigar, layers upon layers of clothes, fake mustache and beard, heading out to trick or treat as a Hobo (is that PC to say these days?) because *damn* it used to be COLD!! No, actually, FRIGID, this time of year. When we were even younger we would hide in those plastic masks using our own breath to keep us warm - and when you lifted it up to reveal who was underneath, it felt like someone smacked you in the face with a brick of ice. Brrrrr...
Now, my kids throw on a light sweatshirt that often comes off somewhere along the route when they start to sweat, and we leave the jackets at home as we race around the neighborhood on what tightly challenges Christmas as the best holiday ever in our house.
So come on New Englanders, whip out your sunscreen, flip flops and shorts - it's almost Halloween!!!
Monday, October 26, 2009
I blame Twitter for not having the writing mojo
@christinelexa: Happy Monday. What a great weekend. Fingers crossed it flows into a great week.
@christinelexa: This is the main reason we bought this house 5 years ago. The crackling will put me to sleep! Zzzzzz http://pic.gd/b25496
@christinelexa: I think if I knew Yoga now would be the time to use it. But I don't. So I'll just breathe and turn the afternoon around. Happy place...
@christinelexa: Bad internet connection has caused a huge headache. Like the pounding kind. Like the kind that only a happy hour starting at 3:00 can fix!
@christinelexa: SEX talk - sorry, gender discussion - now with @geechee_girl about women in social media #SMBNH
OK, not sure what all those are? Those are some of my tweets. Those are the 140 character thoughts that run through my head during the day and night. Those are how I think now. I used to think in blog. I used to have long conversations in my head on the 2 hour drive home from my office and would gleefully run to my computer to put them down "in writing" on my blog. Thoughts. Glorious thoughts that flowed from my fingertips and filled up a page. Stories that would amuse you and make you giggle, or blush, or question my sanity.
Now, I think in tweets. Short. Quick. Can't use many words. Will run out of characters. How-do-I-shorten-them-to-fit thoughts.
So while I still enjoy my children and life, I just can't think in longer than 2 or 3 short sentences, which makes it hard to share with you in detail all the funny, cool things going on in our house. And at this rate, my blogs are going to read:
@christinelexa: Woke up. Work. Time with kids. Wine. Rest. Repeat.
Help. Please help me turn off the tweets. I want to blog again!
(Or follow me @christinelexa - just be warned, I do work full time and tweeting comes with the job so not all my tweets are as intensely profound and personal as the ones above - I know hard to believe, right?)
@christinelexa: This is the main reason we bought this house 5 years ago. The crackling will put me to sleep! Zzzzzz http://pic.gd/b25496
@christinelexa: I think if I knew Yoga now would be the time to use it. But I don't. So I'll just breathe and turn the afternoon around. Happy place...
@christinelexa: Bad internet connection has caused a huge headache. Like the pounding kind. Like the kind that only a happy hour starting at 3:00 can fix!
@christinelexa: SEX talk - sorry, gender discussion - now with @geechee_girl about women in social media #SMBNH
OK, not sure what all those are? Those are some of my tweets. Those are the 140 character thoughts that run through my head during the day and night. Those are how I think now. I used to think in blog. I used to have long conversations in my head on the 2 hour drive home from my office and would gleefully run to my computer to put them down "in writing" on my blog. Thoughts. Glorious thoughts that flowed from my fingertips and filled up a page. Stories that would amuse you and make you giggle, or blush, or question my sanity.
Now, I think in tweets. Short. Quick. Can't use many words. Will run out of characters. How-do-I-shorten-them-to-fit thoughts.
So while I still enjoy my children and life, I just can't think in longer than 2 or 3 short sentences, which makes it hard to share with you in detail all the funny, cool things going on in our house. And at this rate, my blogs are going to read:
@christinelexa: Woke up. Work. Time with kids. Wine. Rest. Repeat.
Help. Please help me turn off the tweets. I want to blog again!
(Or follow me @christinelexa - just be warned, I do work full time and tweeting comes with the job so not all my tweets are as intensely profound and personal as the ones above - I know hard to believe, right?)
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Boobs
Title caught your attention didn't it? It's not about me - er, mine. It's my son. And his obsession.
Recently, I found him outside his room with one of my bras on his head screaming,
"Abby...remember in Wall-e when he puts the boob thing on his head?"
He then proceeded to crack himself up as I chased him to get my boob thing back.
The other day, he asked me to draw a picture of the Hulk for him. We've never seen the Hulk. Never watched the Hulk. So I did my best "bulked up" man sketch and when I was done, he took it from me - studied it for a moment - smiled - and added two little dots about mid-chest.
"What are those?" I asked.
"His boobs," he replied
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess his girlfriends won't be leggy. They'll most likely well endowed.
He's such a little boob :)
Recently, I found him outside his room with one of my bras on his head screaming,
"Abby...remember in Wall-e when he puts the boob thing on his head?"
He then proceeded to crack himself up as I chased him to get my boob thing back.
The other day, he asked me to draw a picture of the Hulk for him. We've never seen the Hulk. Never watched the Hulk. So I did my best "bulked up" man sketch and when I was done, he took it from me - studied it for a moment - smiled - and added two little dots about mid-chest.
"What are those?" I asked.
"His boobs," he replied
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess his girlfriends won't be leggy. They'll most likely well endowed.
He's such a little boob :)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Falling for fall
Usually, by this time of year I'm so excited for fall. Even though I know it leads to winter, which isn't so much my game. I'm usually so sick of hot sun, humid days and wearing the same stained shorts that I can't wait to roll into my slippers in the morning, put on a warm sweater and drink a cup of hot green tea to start my day.
But this year, with an abridged version of summer here in New England, I'm not falling for fall like I usually do. Leaves. Blah. I wish they'd stay green. I pretended to be ooohhing and aaahhing at the pretty colors on the way home from Maine last week in an attempt to get the kids excited about the seasons.
Frosty windshields. Random snow storms (ok snow showers) before Halloween. Acorns falling from the trees, causing me to twist my ankle. Chipmunks and squirrels scavenging for winter food, including my birdseed. Bees. Tons of Bees showing up in the house (maybe a whole different problem). Less sunlight. More darkness. Poor Dog doesn't get to hang outside as long.
Yeah, I'm not ready for fall but do I really have a choice?
So bring on the toasty fires in the fireplace. The endless bowls of soup for lunch. The warm crockpot dishes for dinner. The smell of trees and plants getting ready to sleep for the winter. Put your pumpkins and Mums on your front porches. Fill up the bird feeders. Shake out the warmer coats and the fleece pullovers. Inhale the cool crisp air and snuggle with an insulated cup filled with your favorite hot cocoa. Pretty soon, we'll be on the inside looking out thinking "Boy, I wish fall stuck around a little longer this year."
But this year, with an abridged version of summer here in New England, I'm not falling for fall like I usually do. Leaves. Blah. I wish they'd stay green. I pretended to be ooohhing and aaahhing at the pretty colors on the way home from Maine last week in an attempt to get the kids excited about the seasons.
Frosty windshields. Random snow storms (ok snow showers) before Halloween. Acorns falling from the trees, causing me to twist my ankle. Chipmunks and squirrels scavenging for winter food, including my birdseed. Bees. Tons of Bees showing up in the house (maybe a whole different problem). Less sunlight. More darkness. Poor Dog doesn't get to hang outside as long.
Yeah, I'm not ready for fall but do I really have a choice?
So bring on the toasty fires in the fireplace. The endless bowls of soup for lunch. The warm crockpot dishes for dinner. The smell of trees and plants getting ready to sleep for the winter. Put your pumpkins and Mums on your front porches. Fill up the bird feeders. Shake out the warmer coats and the fleece pullovers. Inhale the cool crisp air and snuggle with an insulated cup filled with your favorite hot cocoa. Pretty soon, we'll be on the inside looking out thinking "Boy, I wish fall stuck around a little longer this year."
Saturday, October 17, 2009
It's mine until Assisted Living
It's done. Finished. Complete! (except for maybe one shelf above the microwave but that is still up for discussion). And just so you know, we will not be selling this house, ever. And if we do, it's because I can't make it up to the bedroom on the second floor. Got it? It's all mine ours!
The before:
And the after:
Just in case you were wondering, I don't normally leave food sitting around in serving dishes on my counters. My parents came for dinner so I got a little fancy.
Now, let's move on to more exciting blogs like failing grades, H1N1, early arrival of winter and how my hands look like shriveled apple people these days.
Deal? Thanks for listening!
The before:
And the after:
Just in case you were wondering, I don't normally leave food sitting around in serving dishes on my counters. My parents came for dinner so I got a little fancy.
Now, let's move on to more exciting blogs like failing grades, H1N1, early arrival of winter and how my hands look like shriveled apple people these days.
Deal? Thanks for listening!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Like my top?
I don't think I could be any happier - I have counter tops! Waaaaahhh! (That's supposed to sound like that noise you make after having an epitome of some sort - sort of spiritual in nature...anyway)
At this point we are literally down to some spot painting, a shelf, and one under cabinet light installation. Once it is all cleaned up, tied up and pulled together I shall share before and after pictures - as if you aren't already sick of hearing about this damn kitchen.
Oh, and did I mention we placed the order for the cabinets on August 26 so congrats to hubby for a kitchen installation in less than 2 months...he's a good foreman.
At this point we are literally down to some spot painting, a shelf, and one under cabinet light installation. Once it is all cleaned up, tied up and pulled together I shall share before and after pictures - as if you aren't already sick of hearing about this damn kitchen.
Oh, and did I mention we placed the order for the cabinets on August 26 so congrats to hubby for a kitchen installation in less than 2 months...he's a good foreman.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
First Grade Progress Report
"Needs Improvement"
"Needs Improvement"
"Below Average"
"Below Average"
"Needs to pay attention better and focus"
Ahem - excuse me!! Over here! I think you gave my child the wrong progress report...innocent mistake I'm sure.
You see, my kid is not "below average". At anything. She's smart. Funny. Caring. Considerate. Compassionate. Strong-willed. Enthusiastic. Energetic. Did I mention smart?
Trying to explain to an almost 7 year old that her progress report wasn't all glowing and wonderful while she stares at you excited for you to read it to her, because in her heart she LOVES her school, and her teacher, and her classmates - it's heart-wrenching.
Can you ever tell a child someone thinks she's below average? At Reading, Spelling, and Religion. Excellent in Science and Phonics (she says they're easy, thus the Excellent part). Good at Math, Art and Social Studies.
So, we carefully explained that all the teacher wanted was for her to try a little bit harder at her words and spelling. And sometimes the things that she thinks are really hard take more time and studying than the things that are easy. But that if she wanted to work with the horses some day, she needed to learn how to read so she could take care of them. (Score one for the Mom - anything that has to do with those neighing creatures is sure to motivate, right!?)
I also told her not to be disappointed because I wasn't so hot at Science so she was lucky to be so good at that...and Math wasn't one of my strong suits either.
She sighed, discouraged, and asked how frequently the progress reports came out and exactly when. You see, she already knew if she could make it look good around progress report time, maybe she'd get more "Excellents", which is all she really wants. Told you she was smart...
"Needs Improvement"
"Below Average"
"Below Average"
"Needs to pay attention better and focus"
Ahem - excuse me!! Over here! I think you gave my child the wrong progress report...innocent mistake I'm sure.
You see, my kid is not "below average". At anything. She's smart. Funny. Caring. Considerate. Compassionate. Strong-willed. Enthusiastic. Energetic. Did I mention smart?
Trying to explain to an almost 7 year old that her progress report wasn't all glowing and wonderful while she stares at you excited for you to read it to her, because in her heart she LOVES her school, and her teacher, and her classmates - it's heart-wrenching.
Can you ever tell a child someone thinks she's below average? At Reading, Spelling, and Religion. Excellent in Science and Phonics (she says they're easy, thus the Excellent part). Good at Math, Art and Social Studies.
So, we carefully explained that all the teacher wanted was for her to try a little bit harder at her words and spelling. And sometimes the things that she thinks are really hard take more time and studying than the things that are easy. But that if she wanted to work with the horses some day, she needed to learn how to read so she could take care of them. (Score one for the Mom - anything that has to do with those neighing creatures is sure to motivate, right!?)
I also told her not to be disappointed because I wasn't so hot at Science so she was lucky to be so good at that...and Math wasn't one of my strong suits either.
She sighed, discouraged, and asked how frequently the progress reports came out and exactly when. You see, she already knew if she could make it look good around progress report time, maybe she'd get more "Excellents", which is all she really wants. Told you she was smart...
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