TV really is the best invention, ever, if you are a mom. Well, I guess it's probably a great invention for everyone, but the benefits of tv really have shown through during my time on mat leave.
It was great for those late nights when you are up feeding (although the urge to purchase off the shopping channel was quite strong). It was so great when the little guy was in his swing sleeping and I could watch the ENTIRE series of 90210 (yes, I got up to 9 seasons and then it got weirdo when the original cast left). I think he really loved 90210, too, because on those (frequent) times he would wake during a pivotal episode, he would quietly watch, too. And then he just seemed so quiet that we would toss on another episode! Yay, Netflix!
TV comes in handy even just as a time-out...for mommys. Backyardigans, Thomas, Diego (not my choice), all really great babysitters...I mean...educational programming, that come in handy for cooking, cleaning, and Facebook updates. And maybe some Twitter reading. Of course, you can't forget Pintrest. It's also great on Saturday mornings when you just need to close your eyes at 6am, when your dear sweet son apparently doesn't need to sleep between the hours of 1am and 4am, and then proceeds with a rise and shine at dawn. There was one instance when I was so tired on a Saturday morning, that I actually fell in a DEEP SLEEP when my 1 year old was left unsupervised! Usually it's the 'mom sleep' of closing your eyes, but never getting anything restorative out of it. Probably why once you are a mom you always look like hell...because you actually NEVER sleep anymore. Either way, I must have dozed off for real because I jolted awake, just to find my child innocently playing on the carpet in front of me. I estimate it must have been a good hour of my being unconscious. The only damage done (beside the ever lasting side effects of being a terrible mother for not watching her small child) were a box of kleenx that apparently needed to be emptied, according to my son, and some Tupperware that made its way onto the floor. Which meant he was in the kitchen for some time, and that's a little concerning. Well, not really, actually, because if he could make his way around the kitchen, then I wouldn't even need to get OUT of bed on a saturday morning, and do what my parents did, which was make us forge for food until breakfast time with them.
Kids tv programming sucks for adults. Diego, Dora, Caillou, Thomas (don't get me started) is all so gay and whiny. I had to put a stop to this, immediately! I found Sesame Street on Netflix (which is even more amazing then I remembered...hi, look at all the celebrities they put on there now), and my favourite...Bugs Bunny. Amazing. Cartoon Network Retro plays episodes, and they are just so amazing. And the kid LOVES them! Who cares if he thinks its actually laugh out loud funny that Bugs shoots Elmer in the face with a cannon. Hilarious. Ya, jumping off a cliff will flatten you, especially if it's followed by an Anvil. Duh. Life lessons, people. And it's ok that the episodes we tape have 1-888 escort ads (because it's cartoon network, and they tape at 2am)...it's just teaching our kid the birds and the bees early.
Caillou wishes he had the balls that Bugs does -and I bet he's jealous he doesn't get sex ads, too.
