Things I was unable to do while my computer was broken:
- Look up the number for the laptop repair place
- File my unemployment claim - yes, there is a phone number, but I have no idea what it is
- Entertain my child with endless viewings of Elmo's Song and Hey Ya on YouTube
- Shop for various things like a holiday dress/outfit for Tamsin, step stool, Christmas gifts and a food mill
- Add a shopping cart to Tamsin's wishlist
- Watch TV - does anybody still watch when shows are actually broadcast?
- Update my blog (I honestly had started an update before the computer died)
- RSVP to a couple of parties
- Prepare and print November invoices for my piano students
- Send resumes to the few available marketing jobs in order to receive my unemployment benefit
- Check my bank account balances
- Check my credit card activity to make sure no one is using my missing card
- Call the credit card company to report aforementioned card as missing
I know it's a cliche, but I really do think that Tamsin is smarter than other kids. For example: Sometimes I put a hanger in her bedroom door hinge so that she can't shut herself in there - she can close doors, but is unable to open them. Her genius does have limits. Anyway, one night Kenji was putting her to bed and I was trying to close the door. I was unable to do so because of the hanger. Tamsin saw my struggles and repeated "hanger, hanger" several times. After complimenting her on her awesome problem solving skills, I closed the door. Of course, now she says "hanger" anytime we close her bedroom door, so I'm beginning to wonder if she thinks "hanger" means "close the door." Sort of the way she thinks "more" (both the sign and spoken word) means "I want that." Maybe she's just confused rather than intelligent.
I Don't Know What This Means
A couple of weeks ago, my brother's kids spent the night at our house. My 3 year old neice left her baby doll and Tamsin has adopted it as her own. (Parenthetical Sidenote: My neice, Callie, calls the doll Tamsin and Tamsin has decided the doll's name is Callie. I just think that's funny.) This is one of those dolls that will laugh, cry, or say "mama" depending on where you squeeze her belly. For the first few days, Tamsin asked us to make the doll laugh for her, and then she'd giggle back. Now, though, she asks us to make the doll cry. She is very insistent about it crying and becomes upset if we squeeze the wrong place and the baby laughs instead. Once we manage to find the magic cry button, she hugs the doll and pats its back, being a comforting mommy. So, at least she has some empathy. I'm a little worried about the potentially psychopathic need to "hurt" the doll first.
