Have you ever tried to hold in laughter so that you don't wake someone near you? As I started writing this blog earlier I was trying to hold in my laughter watching the latest episode of The Big Bang Theory while Miss C-Jaz was napping. It left a song running through my mind the entire day, even until now as I try to finish writing...Survivor - Eye of the Tiger. Listen to it. I dare you to get it stuck in your head.
I wished Miss C-Jaz a restful sleep this afternoon in hopes of an improved attitude from Miss C-Jaz. Yesterday was the hardest day that I've had with her in a long long time. When she woke from yesterday's nap with a smile, a "Hi, Mommy!", and a couple of silly farts, I thought the rest of the day would be fine. I was wrong. It continued: whining, mood swings, crying, clinging - "Mommy, pick up me!", 'uncooperativeness'. At least by dinnertime she was a little bit back to her bubbly pleasant self.
This morning was better than yesterday but still with a little bit of whining and clinging, not so much the crying and mood swings. After some pondering, I think her unlikely behaviors could be contributed to her 'obsession' with the 'yittle girl' from 'Monsta Inc.' She watches it often on her SONY 'DVDV Paya' (the best, most used electronic device I've ever purchased at a great deal).
Over the past few days, since we've had to stay home, Miss C-Jaz watches Monsters Inc. in the morning as background noise, and she usually watches it again in the evening then maybe several more times in between. It makes her laugh. She asks questions about the plot. She recalls what she knows. She giggles. We talk about colors. She points out characters. She restates phrases she hears or actions she sees. It's cute, but while she copies Sully and the little girl putting his and her finger up to the their lips in a 'shushing' motion, I think she was copying the little girl's sounds of crying and whining, which were by no means words.
I also think that maybe, and it's a big maybe, Miss C-Jaz was re-enacting herself as a baby from watching 'Nana Movie', the 'bestest' most memorable video documenting 'Love Without A Limit' - J and I "meeting at the altar in my white dress" - and documenting Miss C-Jaz's birth and first year for her First Birthday. Thanks, Ninang 'Yanta'! Miss C-Jaz loves seeing everybody and naming them, but sometimes while watching, if she's moody, she gets mad and cries when she sees other people carrying her. It's odd to watch, but still cute.
We've been home for the past few days, mainly because Miss C-Jaz was sick, then I didn't want to take her out until she was completely better, so I hoped after her nap we would go out for a walk, and we did regrettably. I knew it was icy cold outside, but the breeze cut into my bare skin like what knives might have been like, and it was just insane - good thing Miss C-Jaz was all bundled up. Maybe over the past few days being at home, Miss C-Jaz's been tuned-in to Monsters Inc. a little too much, so starting last night I did what I could to distract her from watching 'Monsta Inc'. When we were back home in Canada, she loved shows like Word World and The Big Comfy Couch. Last night we watched her Word World DVD, and this morning I had on YouTube episodes of The Big Comfy Couch. It's early to tell, but she has been less whiny this morning. We shall see.
I've been scanning an article about How TV Affects Your Child (for kids young and old) on KidsHealth.org, and there's an overload of details and suggestions that sound useful. I know that although Miss C-Jaz moderately watched TV in her first couple of years, it did not get "in the way of exploring, playing, and interacting" with myself, J, or others. We're aware and active on ways to help her learn and develop physically and socially and as healthy as possible.
According to the recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics made in the article from KidsHealth.org, "those older than 2 (should) watch no more than 1 to 2 hours a day of quality programming". Miss C-Jaz is older than 2 now, and her usual routine includes different activites: books, games, puzzles, blocks, walking, playing, lots of talking - it's a good mix. In the end, she watches about 2 hours a day of quality programming, and sometimes more, but like with anything that can have advantages and disadvantages, it's all about moderation.
Overall, Miss C-Jaz had a good day, and she only watched 'Monsta Inc' twice and not even in it's entirety. The disk is actually starting to skip now, which is not a good thing in a country where their DVDs cannot be played by Miss C-Jaz's 'DVDV Paya', but I do know which scenes have less baby talk but show enough of the 'yittle girl'. We made some progress today. We shall continue with the moderation of Monster's Inc. and "Nana Movie" (as I do not want that to skip). Moderation is the key, or in Miss C-Jaz's expression..."ba-yence" (balance).
