Aaaaah look at all the lonely people

Who doesn't know that lyric? An overplayed Paul song.

... Listen to me. So hipsterish. Yes, George is my favorite one. I also have a concocted list of which Beatle I like in order, but let's not get into that right now.

Right now, Lucille Virginia is watching Yellow Submarine on VHS. Yes, we have a combo VHS/DVD player.

I think if you live in Seattle you have to say George is your favorite one.

ANYWAY Lucille Virginia has been taking to a few Beatles songs like a fish to fish food. Yellow Submarine and Hello, Goodbye she has memorized lyrics to and will sing them often.

To hear her little voice say, "I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello" is more cuteness than a puppy snuggling next to a bunny.

I had a great talk with my mom today on the phone, all impromptu-like, and she told me she's never known a man who's taken care of his kids as much as I have.

"No way," was my response, less out of surprise than out of a desire to know about more dads who do what I do. Because my impression is the same as hers--I am in the minority of dads. Most do not stay at home with the kids like I do. Right? Maybe I need to meet more dads.

She couldn't think of any others who do what I do.

So I'm gonna pat myself on the back today for that one.

Lucille Virginia also sings, "In the toooown where I was born, lived a maaaaaan who sailed to sea..."

Currently we're hanging out in the kitchen, me with my ever-present friend Komputor, and her with yogurt and crayons and a coloring book. And a sponge for cleaning up her CONSTANT SPILLS.

Sure she can sing, but her spoon skills are terrible. Or concentration. One of the two.

Just now we had a breakthrough. She had about six or seven spills in a row, and I told her in a stern, but not loud voice, that she has to stop spilling. No spills. It made her cry, and I then gave her kisses and hugs and told her she's my good girl.

I told her a few ways to not spill--smaller bites, and hold the spoon over the bowl when it drips. Probably good to give her suggestions about what I DO want as well as what I don't, right?

Then I got up to rinse off the sponge to make room for more yogurt on it that I thought would eventually be spilled. And there were a few. So I told her again, same stern voice, no spills. She took this one better; in stride.

And she had no more spills. She also started looking at me to see if I noticed when she did have a bite with no spills, looking for me to say "Good job." So I delivered. I said it with each of the next five or six bites with no spills. And I saw the satisfaction on her soul each time.

This reinforces my idea that even though kids are demanding more of sweets and toys and playtime than praise, praise is very important to them. Perhaps it's more important in times of discipline, which happen on a minutely basis. The telling of what not to do must be coupled with the telling of what to do instead.

I'm not always great at that. Usually it's, "Don't climb on there. Get down." Or, "Don't yell." Or, "Lucy, stop it!" Or, "Get off my legs, please. No, I don't want to bounce you right now for the 50th time." I suppose in these situations there isn't much to say about what to do instead, cause she can do anything instead.

Kids do need lots of direction, though. They can't always think about something new to do themselves. Lucy knows that ....

gotta go. time for park.