I meant to blog a long time ago. But then the plague hit (again).
I took Bertie to Happy Hollow a couple weeks ago. It's a small zoo with rides for little kids, and it's only a few miles from the house. He wasn't too impressed with the animals. There was a leopard roaming around in its habitat, which he liked. But he didn't care about the petting zoo (which I was surprised about). But he loved the rides. He was tall enough for the carousel, the cars, and the bugs. The cars just drive in a circle, and the bugs go up and down (and around). The cars and bugs he could go on by himself. I had to ride the carousel with him. But it wasn't crowded, so he rode again and again.
I'm really trying to take him to a lot of different places: zoo, the beach, different parks etc. We go to the mall a lot, just to walk (where it's cool) and to use the little playground. Next Monday, I'm going to take him to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. He liked it last time, and I'm debating leaving the stroller, and letting him walk where he wants. (I may bring the sling, or ergo.)
Aaron was sick with some derivative of bronchitis for a week. Well, he missed a week of work. He's still coughing a bit, but he seems to finally be on the mend (after 2+ weeks).
It was a stressful week. Aaron was super sick, Bertie was a little sick. I was supposed to see Brianon and Thomas while they were in town, but Bertram took a super long nap and we didn't get to see them (there was a small window of opportunity). I was supposed to meet another friend, but cancelled at the last minute, due to all the sickness, and stress and other crap. I shouldn't have, but I did. I suck. But I did get to see Amanda, and catch up after maybe a year since seeing her.
Depression is creeping back in. It's definitely easier to isolate myself. I've been feeling overwhelmed lately (partly because of the sickness etc). I have two girlfriends locally (Amanda and Colleen), so I'm trying to make an effort to see them more.
I think there was something else I was going to write about, but I can't think of anything else.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Friday, October 2, 2015
The Lord of the Flies
This is how I feel about the play space at the mall. Bertie always wants to go whenever we walk at the mall. Most of the time I oblige him (unless it's super over run with kids). It was fairly crowded today, but I'd already told him we could go (which lead to a constant chant of "slide, slide, slide").
He is oblivious to most of the things I look out for. Actually, he's oblivious to most things. There were several kids that were too big to be in there, mid to late elementary, leaping from object to object. He's usually the smallest one, though not today, there were some smaller ones.
I try not to be a helicopter parent, but I hover. I make sure the bigger kids don't steal his spot in line again and again. I make sure he doesn't get kicked in the face by flailing limbs of other toddlers. I make sure he doesn't cut in line. I take him away from the bully kids (since he doesn't defend himself). For some reason, most other parents don't do this. They don't make sure their kids aren't just standing on the slide, or pushing other kids, or aren't too big to be there in the first place. They stare at their phones.
Today, aside from the leaping big kids: There was a girl, probably about 4 years old, and all of her top teeth were gold. ALL OF THEM. (I am so judgey. Seriously, how lax do you have to be with your child's dental hygiene that 50% of their teeth are crowns?!) She was hard to understand, but I think she accused Bertie of cutting in line, and then said that if you cut in line, you get messed up (or cussed out, again she was hard to understand). And then I judged her parents again (also they were no where to be seen, as she laid atop the slide, threatening to kick anyone who got too close).
There was something else that was really setting off my radar. A mom was there with her son, who was probably 12 or 13. I'm not sure if she had a little kid too. But the boy was giving me a really weird vibe. Like a groomer kind of vibe. We was playing with random kids, patting Bertie on the head. It was weird. I'm sure I'm just thinking the worst of people, but my gut was telling me otherwise, so I went with it. And I watched him closely when he was near Bertie. And had he done anything more than pat his head I would have told him it's not ok to touch my kid. I was really glad to get him out of there today.
He is oblivious to most of the things I look out for. Actually, he's oblivious to most things. There were several kids that were too big to be in there, mid to late elementary, leaping from object to object. He's usually the smallest one, though not today, there were some smaller ones.
I try not to be a helicopter parent, but I hover. I make sure the bigger kids don't steal his spot in line again and again. I make sure he doesn't get kicked in the face by flailing limbs of other toddlers. I make sure he doesn't cut in line. I take him away from the bully kids (since he doesn't defend himself). For some reason, most other parents don't do this. They don't make sure their kids aren't just standing on the slide, or pushing other kids, or aren't too big to be there in the first place. They stare at their phones.
Today, aside from the leaping big kids: There was a girl, probably about 4 years old, and all of her top teeth were gold. ALL OF THEM. (I am so judgey. Seriously, how lax do you have to be with your child's dental hygiene that 50% of their teeth are crowns?!) She was hard to understand, but I think she accused Bertie of cutting in line, and then said that if you cut in line, you get messed up (or cussed out, again she was hard to understand). And then I judged her parents again (also they were no where to be seen, as she laid atop the slide, threatening to kick anyone who got too close).
There was something else that was really setting off my radar. A mom was there with her son, who was probably 12 or 13. I'm not sure if she had a little kid too. But the boy was giving me a really weird vibe. Like a groomer kind of vibe. We was playing with random kids, patting Bertie on the head. It was weird. I'm sure I'm just thinking the worst of people, but my gut was telling me otherwise, so I went with it. And I watched him closely when he was near Bertie. And had he done anything more than pat his head I would have told him it's not ok to touch my kid. I was really glad to get him out of there today.
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