Still snowed in

Not much to report around here. Getting ready for another snow storm. I, of course, am thrilled. The rest of KC seems less so.

Last night I watched the Oscars (aka my Superbowl). Did anybody else find Anne Hathaway gently stroking her Oscar and murmuring "It came true" completely contrived and kind of gross? Her soft vocal quavering did nothing to convince me she hadn't been practicing her speech in front of a mirror for weeks. I usually like her, but that came off as yucky.

Ryan, recognizing that Oscar is my big night, made me the most amazing chicken wings (he perfected his healthier version: baked, egg white only wash, and added corn flakes. Amazing) and sweet potato fries. Rory didn't really get the joke when I'd say "I'm going to watch the game" and would show up in the basement asking if she could watch the game, too. And then, in full confusion, "What kind of game is this?" Um.... A game where people get awards based on popularity, politics, and self-promotion....

Speaking of Rory, our new discipline structure is still going well. She went to bed too late last night (parental fail) and was up early this morning. Surprise, surprise, she was cranky and whiny. I reminded her that I find whining very unpleasant, and she'd have to do it in her room. And then I put her in her room. And the she whined and cried for 30 minutes (I'm done fussing! is not convincing when screamed and wailed). And then I told her how sorry I was she'd chosen to fuss in her room, because lunch time arrived, and there was no more time to play outside. She started to get upset and I said, "I hope you make a different choice next time. What kind of sandwich do you want?" Then she ate, chose to sleep in her snow suit (whatever!) and has been out cold ever since.

I am working on the guilt of letting her scream in her room. Why does that make me feel guilty? I worry that she doesn't fully understand why she is in there, and that she can choose to stop making that horrible noise and come out. She's not stupid. She knows. I've told her. So I turned on an album and read to distract myself.  I think part of it goes completely counter to how I operated when she was an infant. But she's not an infant. She's a brilliant, capable, stubborn, spirited little girl who is learning some behavior boundaries.

I also have to work very hard to put genuine sympathy in my voice, and not a sarcastic "see? Now you can't play outside cause you were a screaming jerkface to mommy." It does suck for her that she can't go outside, and, and I can show sympathy to that without undermining the point. Not going outside is enough, she gets it just fine.