Locomotion

Birdie is in an extraordinary growth spurt - jumping up and down on chairs, climbing every uneven level in sight, eating a vast array of foods and comprehending verbal directions (although not necessarily adhering to it, understanding nevertheless). It's marvelous to engage her unending curiousity, particularly during this period of time. For Birdie, in correlation to growth comes frustration and an increased determination. She exerts a lot of energy and desire to do or acquire things but simply cannot have them. For example, while pointing "I want this" she indicates that she wants a kitchen knife or a boiling hot pot. Her brain is injecting so much data that any restraint directly results in a total rejection and disappointment and I think... confusion. During these points in the day, Birdie can muster a good deal of drama including full-body convuslions of extreme displeasure. Wow.

I've been trying to figure out when learning and development and the correlating disappointments of missed opporunities comes to an end. Really, it's not anytime before the adolescent years. As I remember my teens, my opinions were strictly one way or the other - the issue was black or white - no shades of grey. I was passionately engaged or outraged at the concept presented to me that I either 'wasn't ready yet' (like Birdie with the kitchen knife) to digest the concept or too limited in my experiences to thoughtfully consider it wholly.

As an adult, I continue to have extreme swings between successful engagement and rejection. Even now, I can get so frustrated about limitations or another's judgemental position that I exert a good deal of teeth-grinding, fist-raising angst.

Birdie is primal in her displays of emotion - happy, sad, whatever variation it may be. I have manners which are learned - really that's all that distinguishes us. I can speak English while Birdie can express every language. I can communicate logic, Birdie just is what the moment brings.

So, do we really change in these emotional ups and downs as we age and grow?

I've been reluctantly wrangled into more TV viewing with Birdie lately. Trying to be conscious of the amount and content that she watches while I'm around although I'm usually balancing getting ready for work in the morning. I've got a confidence that watching Sesame Street is all good on both an educational and playful level, although I'm not sure about several other kids shows out there. Recently, Sesame Street got moved back from 6 am to 640 am (?) and so we got stuck with Caillou. Oh, the drama this four-year old, oddly-bald kid experiences from day to day. Actually, to be honest, there isn't much drama at all except a little Caillou-whining here and there.

Take the last episode I yawned through while cuddling Birdie, Mom and Dad sleep through their alarm and Caillou wakes them. Instead of rushing around to get to work, Dad says to Caillou, let's get breakfast! Yay! Then, despite a reference of Caillou not liking the rush (what rush, I wonder?) of the morning, Mom and baby sister (note: with hair) wait in the car for Caillou to join daycare drop off. Caillou doesn't want to go, so he stays in his pjs and waits in his room. Dad asks Caillou what the problem is and Caillou demands that they stay home and play. Dad says, let's walk to play group while working Mom and sister take off in the car. Yay - problem averted! Dad, in suit and tie, shows Caillou all the people that go to work while they walk, buying muffins and visiting along the way with different people. Then, Caillou ends up at day care and Dad says he has to go to work. Calliou is sad the he's leaving and Dad reiterates that, like all the other people they saw on their walk, he has to work too. Daycare lady says that she's glad people work so that, like her, they can do what they love, which is taking care of Caillou. Yay - everyone is perfect! Did Dad get written up at work for tardiness, I wonder?

Um, so not real or relatable. Although not a sitcom, it's pretty simialar to the TV shows adults watch and for some reason enjoy so much. Life is so great. My favourite example is a show I find really nauseating now - Friends - which purports 'We can have problems, be unemployed and live in multi-million dollar apartments and wear Prada in NYC. Yay! How interesting that a show like Caillou feel so similar to Friends maybe because he whines like Rachel.

I guess that's why I like Seinfeld - it's simply too inane to relate to but funny. Or 30 Rock - it's in NYC and it's a spoof of SNL and it's not in any way shape or form relatable. Or Entourage, it's in LA and it's about being a movie star so the biggest problems that the group deals with is how to get a pair of limited Fukiyama sneakers ahead of the queue.

Fluff or full-on drama... pullease - but I ain't for the sitcom style - kids, adults, what have you.