Seussian Liberal Propaganda

There are three great books from Seuss that I can't read (and discuss) enough with Lily.   Glenn Beck would probably frown on these books since they are filled with liberal propaganda about stuff like protecting the environment and acknowledging that we are all the same inside, but my daughter and I both love them.

Yertle the Turtle - The story of Yertle a power hungry turtle and king of the pond, who will stop at nothing to make his throne larger.   Unfortunately it's a throne built by stacking up all the other turtles in the pond.   Eventually, just your average everyday turtle at the bottom topples Yertle from his throne.

When we read this we tend to talk about how our actions can hurt or help others.   I used it to point out things like how it's OK for her to carry her brother, but she has to stop if cries.   The lesson is to take other people's feelings into account.

What she doesn't understand with this story is some deeper meaning about man and the excesses taken by governments and kings.   That's probably the least important part, as it should come naturally if you have empathy on an individual level.


Sneetches -  The Sneetches appear to live on beaches, eat processed meats and party (they like Frankfurter roasts).  They have settled into a caste system dividing those with stars on their belly and those without.  This book tells the story of how a huckster teaches them an expensive but priceless lesson -- that, star on the belly or not, they are all Sneetches.

This opens a really amazing range of conversations when reading the book.   We talk about the differences in each person - how everyone has a different face, body shape and moles, but everyone has the same emotions inside.   We also talk about empathy, and how the star-less Sneetches feel bad when left out of the Frankfurter roasts, etc.

What I sense she doesn't understand is the motivations of the con man/carnival barker who's actions precipitate the end of this caste system.   She appears to understand why someone might be excluded because of an external difference, but it's not clear if she gets how scrambling that criteria could teach a lesson.


The Lorax - Told as a flash back in the bleak and desolate present, this is a blunt force argument for the tree-huggers.   The Lorax is the penultimate tree-hugger, as the 'voice of the trees' and is unable to convince the greedy Once-Ler from destroying a beautiful forest and its joyous and vibrant denizens.

Ok, while I love this one, it's mostly over her head.   She doesn't appear to understand the greed or the motivation for capitalism (much like the Huckster from Sneetches).    What she appears to get is how cutting down the trees ruins the environment for the animals on the land, sea and air though.   That's a start, and with repeated readings this book will eventually be just a vivid allegory rather then a lesson.  

Cognition comes quick.  It wasn't so long ago that Green Eggs and Ham was over her head.  I still know Pooh Loves You by heart, cover to cover (and haven't read it in months, thankfully).    We still read under and over her head now, and will keep doing that, just so long as she's listening.

A soccer ball, carousel, ferris wheel and lions & Tigers too

We had a busy day on Saturday.

Nate went to soccer for the first time.    Cindy took him, in part because I was sick.    Lily didn't go because she was misbehaving.    She was acting up.  She was threatened.  Then she tested us.    It's tough keeping your kid from doing fun stuff, but it was definitely the right thing to do.

Then we all packed up and went to the Zoo for Cindy's work picnic.   We had lunch, then had about an hour to walk the zoo.   Making the most of it, we saw some type of Monkey (Nate yelled 'doggy') and Lions and Tigers (Nate yelled 'tiger') and Rhino butts and Peacocks (Nate yelled 'an-mul') and Giraffe's and more....and then we high-tailed it for the exit.

Our next stop was Comerica Park, for a game between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins.   This was the first Tiger's game for both Lily and Nate, and if they watched the game they would have seen the hottest team in the league win an exciting game with the last swing of the bat.    We didn't watch much of the game.

I didn't expect Nate to follow the game, but figured the crowd would mesmerize him for a couple innings.   We didn't even get a couple minutes.    I think we'd have had an easier time bringing a cat to the game, because he had no interest in staying still.    He's in the Terrible Two's, so it's kind of expected.

We did the ferris wheel and walked the stadium (with Nate in the stroller).    We missed all but one run (Minnesota's sacrifice fly to tie it up).     Cindy and Lily were just exiting the carousel when the crowd roared.    We saw glimpses on a monitor of Brandon Inge's game winning walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth.


It was a great day.

Coping with a little Weaner

Taking away the primary source of nutrition and comfort for a 1.5 year old is bound to create some tension.  

Actually, tension is a bit of an understatement.   The first night after Nate was cutoff from feeding, he even became physically abusive with mom & dad.   He found it especially offensive when we offered him a bottle, viewing it as a 'booby prize' of sorts.   He'd smack at the bottle, and occasionally take a swing at us, if only to break up long periods of cries and tears.    He didn't get much sleep that night and the tears were still coming well past midnight.  

The next morning he woke up to dad.  This, unfortunately, is not the person who has been there when he woke up every other morning.   The person who was ready to offer a morning feeding was nowhere to be found.   Needless to say, this didn't sit well with the little guy.     Eventually, he accepted his fate, an alternative food source, and instantly became the pleasant fella we know him to be. 

The next night was rocky, but much less eventful, and my guess is that each night from here on out will go even smoother.

Next week he turns 18 months old (1.5 years) and a day after that he starts at a new school.    

He's growing up and he makes me happier every day.

The Start of the Rebellion

We went out to a restaurant to talk about big things, and Nate surprised us with a shocker of his own.    In a way that only an 18 month can, he told us that he's entered the Terrible Two's, and had abandoned that whole easy going and docile persona we've known for the first 17 months.   It was a big scene, and we handled it like people that had handled these issues before (with a little girl).     

So, he decided to stop listening, and it's probably safe to say that was just a start.  

As Veterans, we know this phase ends, eventually.   I won't miss it when it does.