This past weekend was one of the better weekends we have had in recent Hausfrau Haus history. Friday was the birthday bash for Peaches. It consisted of Gramma and some red velvet cake. That was it. Peaches got a couple of gifts that Baby Girl has claimed as her own, which was to be expected. Initially I was going to give Peaches a cupcake that had been in the freezer since October. Then I felt a twing of guilt for not making more of an effort. In addition, I got a verbal ass-kicking from my friend on Thursday after I told her about said frozen cupcake. That sealed the deal for me to get off my ass and get baking.
Since Gramma stayed the weekend, Herr and I were able to go out on a date for a movie and dinner. We saw "Good Night and Good Luck." Not a bad movie. It was interesting to learn more about the McCarthy witch-hunts, but I was puzzled by the lack of character development and a seemingly unnecessary subplot that involved Robert Downey Jr. Perhaps it would have made more sense to me had I known a bit more about the part of our American history. Nevertheless, I was at a movie, eating popcorn from a container the size of a bathtub. I would have been happy to see Porky's 12.
The pièce de résistance of our weekend was the obvious. The Steelers winning the Super Bowl. We were incredibly hung over this morning because of all of the crap we ate--not because of anything we drank. In an unprecendented move, Herr Hausfrau (who NEVER picks up the phone willingly to call ANYONE except his mother) started dialing all of our Pittsburgh friends after the win, hoping to engage in a play-by-play discussion and some manly crying. Alas, most of our friends were already walking around the South Side, no doubt trying to tip cars over. He did get in touch with one of our friends who answered the phone by screaming.
When I woke up early this morning, I realized I didn't want the weekend to end, so I ate some leftover chili and velveeta dip on top of my eggs. That's some good eating right there--a little hair of the dog, if you will. It will be worth the extra 30 minutes on the elliptical machine when I go to the gym tonight.
In unrelated news, I took Baby Girl to her Monday Morning Art Class with Miss Sue. Out of the blue, Baby Girl announced that Krishna, the sweet boy sitting next to her, is BROWN and that she is WHITE. I've NEVER heard a room become so quiet, so fast. Discuss.
18 comments:
Nothing to be ashamed or afraid of in Baby Girls comment. Children do notice the physical differences between each other. The key is how you handle it as an adult. "Yes, you're right, Baby Girl, his skin does look brown, and yours looks white. But look, you both have two eyes..." etc.
It's ok to notice the differences-- they make us wonderful. It is also important to notice the similarities too though. There's a book, "We Are All Alike, We Are All Different," by the Cheltenham Kindergarten... it's a great book to stimulate discussion about each persons differences and samenesses :)
If the room got quiet, it's because the adults read too much into children's statements. We as adults forget that children are not making a racist statement, but rather an observation about the world around them. And what a wonderful way to teach them about the world around them! Discuss with them! Going quiet doesn't help anyone learn about the world, does it?
I just said, "mmmhmm" to both, and then Miss Sue continued her conversation (did I mention that my daughter had INTERRUPTED Miss Sue to announce this?) I was standing at the time and almost dropped the baby. On the way home I told her that people come in all kinds of colors and that we are all beautiful. And then she agreed and said that Krishna was a beautiful prince. I realize that she is just saying what she sees. I am definitely getting that book for her. Thanks for the tip!
See, THIS is why I love parenting blogs. I totally dig how we can all share experiences and turn to each other for advice. I am totally going to get that book for my daughter also, Jenette. Thanks for the tip.
Congrats on the Steelers Victory, Misfit. How were those Midwestern Hankie Pankies?
Jenette's right -- kids state the obvious. It's what we say as parents that shapes how they'll react in similar situations in the future. Last year I was at a doctor's office with both of my kiddos and a very large woman walked into the waiting room. She had to walk past us to get to the reception desk and as she came toward us my daughter looked up and said, in a typically loud toddler's voice, "That's a BIG LADY, Mummy." I was instantly embarrassed and really didn't want to make a scene, so I gently said, "Yes, sweetie, that's a lady," while I looked up and mouthed "I'm sorry" to the woman.
When my husband got home from work that night we talked to my daughter about the fact that people come in all shapes and sizes. My husband's a bigger guy and I'm no skinny minnie so we compared ourselves to other people in our family and tried to explain that everyone is beautiful no matter what size they are. I also looked into some books that can relate to the same sort of topic to read to her at bedtime.
I snorted Coke up my nose when I read your comment about Porky's 12. I can't wait to see "Good Night and Good Luck"...I've been wanting to see it for a while now.
My friend's daughter went through a phase at age 4 where she didn't like anything brown. She wouldn't drink hot chocolate, brownies, etc. Nothing racial, purely color based. She loves pink. Same idea.
They were terrified when she started kindergarten! I think she's learned to just see people and not the color, but for a while they lived in fear of phone calls from the teacher or parents...
First was ALex's "Look, Mommy! I'm a racist!" comment (he meant racer). Then Susan told me about her little superhero, Whiteboy--- who can play that funky music. Then this morning, Alex announced that he's white. So I grabbed a napkin, and explained that IT was white, we were some form of beige. And now this with Baby Girl. Did they all conspire together to do this all in the same week?
BTW, when Alex's friend threw some broccoli last night, Alex shouted, "No, Roman! Martin Luther King Jr. does NOT like it when we throw broccoli!!!"
Was that a part of an MLK speech I was unaware of?
OK - for Herr Hausfrau -
GO STEELERS! WHHHHOOOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Charlie likes to say, 'I'm pink' when we ask what color he is (why do we ask? for the humor value, of course!). Although one night in a restaurant, he did say, VERY loudly, 'I see a black man!' I was thinking OH MY GOD WHAT DO I DO WHAT DO I DO WHERE IS MY DRINK when he said, 'And a GREEN man!' and I realized that he was actually looking at the waiters' shirts. Which were black or green.
Ha ha ha ha. I need to have a playdate with Katy's kids. Or a stiff drink.
This is slightly off subject, but in the same vein as "kids say what they see" and I feel compelled to tell it: When Bryce was three, we were driving home when a woman walking her dog (not on a leash) had to chase him out from in front of our car - I had to slam on the brakes, it was a big ordeal. I made a comment about her not having her dog on a leash and Bryce said to me, "Mom, does that lady have a dog because she doesn't have any children?"
I was SO. DAMN. GLAD. we were in the car with the windows up.
I guess the phone lines in to Pittsburgh were working but the lines going out, especially cell phones, were NOT working. There must have been a lot of yinzers gloating to their friends who don't live here.
Got the one for the thumb, but the other hand is looking bare....
I'm still looking for a Bettis jersey for my 10 month old. They make a Farrior creeper but no Bettis jersey for little ones? Unbelievable.
I knew I had to check your blog this week after the Steelers win. Big Congratulations and I was rooting for your team.
Good to see someone is happy about the Superbowl.
M 6 year old walked up to the gentleman who installed our broadband (who was African American) and said, "Do you know what?" I gasped and began to pray. "I like you." my son said. Oh thank God, I began to breathe again.
all your friends live on the southside? I knew you were cool like that MFHF. I think the burgh's southside is one of the coolest placest on earth.
You flatter me Dutch. Cool and I are never in the same sentence. When I lived in Pittsburgh, I lived in the second coolest place in town--Squirrel Hill. Let's just keep the Southside our little secret, shall we?
Hey hay, he said you KNEW cool people on the South Side. Which you do. Me. South Side does fricking rock. Yer cool by association kiddo!
yeah, my little girl is just learning about colours, and figuring out which colour is which, herself. She picked up a baby book the other day and pointed out the "brown baby" on the back cover. then suggested I was 'yellow" in the bath. When I said, no, I'm not really very yellow, she tried white. I said that yes, I was sort of white, sort of pink, just like her. But the amusing thing is she has a "brown bear" she identifies, and also a hideous green bear. I'm waiting for her to point out a green person somewhere, especially as her handle on the colours is still a bit shaky!
I love the fact that kids just call 'em like they see 'em. And I think that acknowleging and celebrating the fact that people come in all different colors, shapes and sizes is a wonderful thing. Baby Girl sure knows her stuff. :)
I love you, Hausfrau, but the Steelers...I can't even talk about it. I'll try not to let this stain our relationship.
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