Gametes In Love

Last night I totally earned my Mean Mommy moniker. I’ve been working with the kids on picking up their toys at the end of the day before bed-time. Some days have been successful, some not. S2 for the most part will just do whatever G is doing, so it’s kind of important, you see for G to kick off the cleaning.

My latest approach is giving the monkeys 10 minutes to get their toys off the floor. The majority of toys have a home, although the rest will placate me if they are just off the floor. Anything left on the floor after the 10 min period, goes to time out for 3 days.  G knows this consequence, and can recite it by heart. After last night, be may know it a bit too well.

We’ve only had to do this 3 times, mind you. We’re still at the onset of this process.

Last night, when the 10 min counter started, G decided he wanted to race instead. S and I patiently let the clock run out, although we demonstratively brought down a laundry basket to collect our loot. 10 min ran out, and the toys were pulled off the floor. Including 4 lovies. 1 belonging to G, 3 to S2. S2 doesn’t care all that much, but for G it was like cutting off a limb. While he has 7, he insists on sleeping with ALL of them (well, all except for Long Tag). Nubsie is now in the garage ‘till Wednesday. There were tears. Oh there were tears. He was such a sad, pitiful sight. My heart physically ached for him, and I really wanted to go to the garage and get him his Nubsie with a promise he’ll clean up when asked next time. But we had to hold our guns and not give in. So Nubsie is exiled until Wednesday evening. I’m sure there will be lots of rejoicing when he returns. Until then, this is Mean Mommy, signing off.

… today, also known as Science Sunday, because we took the kids to the Agu Exploration Station at Moscone Center yesterday. We got to build stomp rockets (and launch them), G designed his first robot, make & eat solar cookies, and prep our exploding volcanoes. We’re saving the volcanoes for some home action.

Here’s G and his robot. Doesn’t it rock? S assures me G designed it on his own. Now I’m on a hunt for mini motors and brushes so we can do these at home. Someone’s going to have to solder the wires though, since the motors come sans wiring. Hmn, humn — G-pa?????

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzr29kfFNmE]

and S2 launching rockets:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdt3cO7DDvA]

Trust me — this thing flies pretty good if you apply a bit more than 28lb of stomping on it.