Great Blog Post

When I woke up this morning, I grabbed my Samsung Conquer and headed to my Google Reader widget.  I decided to check out my recommendations instead of putting on makeup.

Best.  Decision.  Ever.

The first post that was recommended was 5 Unusual Ways to Raise Successful Children.  I was amazed at how simple, effective, and Christ-like these suggestions were.  YMMV.

These are the things that I've wanted to implement into my parenting of Squeaker, but didn't know where to start.  Sure she's only 10 months old, but you have to strike while the iron is hot, so to speak.

Seriously, take a moment to read this.  You will be glad you did.

Sleeping Beauty

Around the beginning of December is when I noticed it.  Noticed what?  Squeaker's lack of desire to go to bed for the night.  It wasn't anything which was gradual.  Oh no, she just screamed her way into this new, delightful phase.  

My daughter goes to bed at 7 pm.  She would look at me with her droopy, sleepy eyes, say "Mama", and thrust her right thumb into her mouth.  With her left hand, she would rub at her eyes.  My heart would melt a little, and then we'd start our bedtime ritual.  My angelic baby would fall asleep in my arms, and I would gently place her into bed, kiss her cheek, and then continue about my business for the night.

This new little girl, however, is mean. Before bedtime, she will be laughing and happy.  She will be all kisses, hugs, and raspberries.  When I start our bedtime routine, Mr. Hyde comes out to play.  My laughing, happy resorts to screaming.  No, it's not even screaming.  It's this prolonged, loud mixture of a grunt and a wail.  Not caterwauling, though, as it's not shrill at all.  I'll see if I can get her on audio or video, because it's amazingly annoying.  Grwailing.  We'll call it grwailing.

Besides the grwailing, she gets really, really mean.  Squeaker becomes this Mike Tyson/Chuck Norris combo.  She will kick me.  She will bite me.  She will pull my hair.  She will scratch my face.  Once upon a time I thought I could have her Uncle Jonathan give her some boxing lessons when she gets older, but now I'm seriously wondering how wise it is, given her temperament now, to give her more formal training in the martial arts.   

I wish I could say that all of this is a reflection on someone else, but as her only parent, I guess I'm to blame.  Hopefully I'll be rich one day, so I can afford to provide her with the best therapists money can buy.

Observation

During the summer, I keep the thermostat on 68.  Yeah, that might be cold for some, but it is the temperature at which I don't get migraines from the heat.

Now that it's colder and I have the furnace on, I have the heat set to the same 68 degrees.  But I'm still cold.

Don't get me wrong, I prefer to be cold.  I just don't like toying with the gas all that much.  I guess it's time to buy the plastic for my windows.

Goodbye Facebook. Hello blog.

Of all of the images I searched for when I Googled "Facebook" and "Facebook sucks", this is the one I like the most.  Why?  Because Facebook has become all too addictive for some people.

I have multiple reasons for leaving Facebook.  Here they are in no particular order:

• I'm no longer in touch with my friends.  It's more like Facebook is allowing me to stalk them by proxy.  I love my sister.  I talk to her all the time.  Why do I need to go to Facebook and see that she likes a picture of someone's kitten.
•  I'm currently taking five college classes.  It might not be a lot to some people, but it is to me.  I'm paying a lot of money for these classes, and I want to pass.  I need to minimize the distractions.
• Squeaker deserves more from me than my sitting her on the floor so I can play the next, hottest game on Facebook.  Or click the like button on that kitten picture my sister shared.
• Pictures of me or my daughter can be used in their advertisements without compensation.  I get it, we're cute.  If you want to use our faces to sell something, we're gonna get paid for it.
• The new right hand feed is just annoying.  I don't need to know every little thing people do.
• I already have a blog to keep people updated on what I am doing in my life.  I pay every year to have a domain name, and I'm not using it.  If I am important to you, you will come here and see what's going on.  If it's too difficult for you to remember my name and add a .com to the end of it, that's fine.
• Even if I blog daily, it will waste less time than getting on Facebook.  It's a better use of my time.

I must say, I've been quite surprised at the reaction I've received.  I've had people try to dissuade me from leaving.  I've had people tell me that they don't know how to keep in touch any other way.  That was somewhat strange.  Right now, I can think of three ways to keep in touch with me.  Call me.  Send me an email.  Come see me.  Easy, right?  Here's some more.  Visit my blog.  Visit Squeaker's blog.  Send me a letter.  Stop me at church to say hi.  Send me a text.  Let's Skype.  

I feel so old school now.