I watch cartoons after my kid goes to bed...

Yeah, I admit it, I do. Mainly I watch Phineas and Ferb on Disney, because it is funny as hell. It is one of the few kids cartoons that really is made for adults too (The Fairly Oddparents is another. It is the only current cartoon that referenced the death of Archduke Ferdinand. If you don't know why that is important go back to school). Phineas and Ferb has referenced the trend of LOL Cats, mentioned Bastille Day, makes fun of the whole super villain/secret spy genre, and is also goofy enough to keep the attention of a little kid.
Essentially I keep looking for a replacement for the Bugs Bunny cartoons, which were sharp and intelligent while also being slapstick and goofy. They were good viewing for kids and adults. Lots of the really great cartoons out there that are knows for being intelligent aren't so hot for 4 year olds to watch (i.e. The Simpsons, which remains #2 on my list of favorite cartoons, right after Bugs).
I wish they made more cartoons like Phineas and Ferb and the Fairly Oddparents. If anyone knows any other kid appropriate cartoons like them, please let me know. I'm always on the look out for something other than Spongebob, even if it does have Clancy Brown in it.

Rediscovering

This weekend I rediscovered a few things...

I rediscovered that Splenda makes me ill. Serves me right for buying something for me without looking at the label.

I rediscovered that I cannot drink any water or tea that is apple flavored because it tastes vaguely off (my brother has the same problem, so at least I'm not alone in this one)

I rediscovered Christopher Eccleston, and why I have such a love affair with him as an actor.

I rediscovered in the same movie why Cate Blanchet bothers me some much as an actress (she hits the same note over and over. She's wonderfully expressive, but is always coming back to home base.)

I rediscovered that taking a kid strawberry picking is an adventure.

I rediscovered Japanese horror movies, and why they are made of win.

Space, I just don't know enough

My kid has always loved outer space. She's loves the idea of it, she loves aliens, and space ships, and everything that goes along with it.
She recently found out about the International Space Station, and is completely charmed by it. And keeps asking questions. How long to peoplelive there? What's it like? What do they do there? Etc.
You know what? I don't know enough about NASA to answer her questions. I keep thinking about getting her a membership to a kids space program or something, but I don't know how long this will last (long I hope, it's been going on for two years now, since she could talk).
It's kind of cool though, the kid is a girly-girl, so it's awesome seeing her excited about science too. I really hope she goes that route and not the cheerleader route.

Miss California

I think it would go without saying that I wouldn't be too terribly thrilled with Miss California and the "firestorm" around her (gee, thanks wingnuts for whipping that one up). However she did teach me one thing, watch what I say around the kiddo.
Last night they did a story about her on the news (Miss California, not the kiddo), and the kiddo told me that she though Miss California was beautiful. I replied without really thinking that being pretty didn't make her any less of a bigot. Which, of course, led to me trying to explain that this pretty woman said some mean and hateful things about people, and that some people thought that she was right, and some people thought that she was wrong, and this would be why we can't judge books by their covers.
I suppose it's good that the kiddo is learning these things, but she's four, and occassionally I'd really like her to be a kid. Sometimes she seems like a little adult, like when she told me that to aliens from other planets, we would be aliens. What four year old gets that concept? I don't know what to do with her sometimes.

What me, worry? Hell yes

This Saturday the kid is supposed to go to her father's for her first overnight visit. As of today, three days before the visit, he still has no room for her. No bed for her. His live-in girlfriend has not even vacated the room the kid is supposed to have*. He has no gates so she doesn't fall down the stairs. In fact, aside from a lamp and some sheets, I don't know what he does have.
Needless to say, under the best of circumstances, I would be freaking out. Right now I am slowly reaching Threat Level Red and may have a stroke by Friday night. So if the blogging is a bit sporadic, sorry about that folks. Being a mom comes before bitching about religion, Sarah Palin, and Lost.

*Yes, you read that right.