Thursday, Sept. 16, 2010: See no evil

I'm listening to Stacy read to Gavin in Spanish. He's sitting next to her on the couch intently studying the pages of Counting Colors, one of his favorite books. It's pretty much the cutest thing ever "Reading" is perhaps not the right term, as Counting Colors doesn't really have words. It's a slew of images sorted by colors. Stacy points to the various pictures and narrates in Spanish. Gavin is imitating a cat meowing right now because they're on the orange page, which includes a picture of a little tabby kitty.

I am thankful every day that Gavin loves books so much. We went to the library today and he looked at some books there. He liked the one with photos of trucks the best. What can I say, the kid loves trucks. He basically wants to be a walking stereotype. Or maybe he's overcompensating due to having two moms. I don't care, though. If he wants to love trucks, let him love trucks. Let him especially love books about trucks.

We don't let Gavin watch TV. Not even Madagascar, much to my father's dismay. He came over on Tuesday to give Gavin a belated birthday card. It should be noted that ever since the invention of cards that talk, play music, or otherwise make noise, my father has pretty much kept that segment of the card industry in business. Anyway, the card he brought Gavin had a cartoon hippo on it and, upon opening, played a song in which a low, husky voice sang, "I like 'em big. I like 'em chunky. I like 'em round. I like 'em plumpy" over a hip-hop beat. I gave my dad a WTF look.

"It's Moto Moto," he said. "You don't know Moto Moto?" In fact, I did not. I had never heard of Moto Moto and wasn't sure if that was the name of the song or the name of the hippo. "You know, from Madagascar," he said.

"I've never seen it," I said.

My dad reacted as if I'd told him that I had no eyes. "What? What do you mean you've never seen it? It's the greatest movie in the world." Now, any movie my dad likes is "the greatest in the world." So either he doesn't really mean this, or he has a lot of ties for first place. And anyway, Eddie Murphy's The Nutty Professor is on that list. So basically that list is worthless.

"Gavin would love it," he continued. "I have it on DVD, I'll let you borrow it. He'll get a kick out of it."

Then I told him that Gavin doesn't watch TV. That we, in fact, don't let Gavin watch TV. My dad found this to be completely retarded. Now, I don't know if he actually said "retarded" -- although it is highly likely -- I do know he for sure made his "that's retarded" face. When I told him that Gavin is not old enough to watch TV, the intensity of his "that's retarded" face only increased.

And while it's true that we don't use TV to entertain Gavin, there is one small exception. We sometimes use a short video to distract him while he's getting his nails cut. Like this evening, for example. I pulled up this video of a very expressive and serious little girl chattering away on YouTube. To say he was transfixed is an understatement. It's actually pretty scary how hypnotized he gets. Which is why we don't ordinarily put him in front of the TV. I mean, I don't believe that TV rots your brain or anything, but I also don't think it helps any with development. I'd much rather my son be engaged in real world interactions than watching a sexually suggestive hippo try to woo a fat girl hippo.

My allergies have been terrible all day and I feel like garbage, constantly having to sneeze and blow my nose. I hate September. Or the allergies of September, anyway. I mean, I shouldn't complain. I have allergies, not leprosy. Still, I equate my allergies with being slapped in the face all day with a damp towel. Sure it won't kill you, but it doesn't feel good, and it's annoying and distracting and keeps you from getting much done.

I think I'm going to follow Gavin's lead and go to bed early tonight. Only hopefully I won't cry so much beforehand. He had a rough evening. He was pretty much fine until Stacy got home and then he got really clingy and screechy. He didn't nap super well today, but that can't account for everything. Stacy thinks, and I agree, that he's still adjusting to things, especially to being away from her so much. Day care is going pretty well, though, considering. He's getting more social and his day care ladies thought it was adorable how he ate the corn on the cob we sent in his lunch. He really is a champion corn on the cob eater. Apparently this is not a universally held baby skill. Actually, I don't think it's a universally held grown-up skill, either. I mean, you should see my dad eat corn on the cob. Actually, no, you shouldn't. No one should. He eats it, in fact, a lot like Gavin does. Only when Gavin does it, it's cute. When my dad does it, you can't help but wonder if he was recently released from prison.

Oh, did I mention that Grandpa woke Gavin up from his nap so he could see him open the hippo booty call card? Yes, yes he did. Granted, I can't blame him for wanting to see Gavin. The boy gets cuter by the day.