The reality of it all

Lately I have been thinking about reality tv a lot for some reason. I guess getting geared up for the new school year also entitles us TV addicts to get in gear for the new season of shows. There are so many reality TV shows now it is unreal. Really, how many of them are full on reality. Probably not a one. I mean is "real life" THAT exciting to watch?? Not so much. If it were we would constantly be spying on our neighbors. *cough* Big Daddy *cough* You have to admit that these shows are produced to some extent... so as real as it is there has to be some direction to them given by the producers. Wether it comes in the form of editing to lead your mind in certain directions or in the case of Survivor, rumour has it the camera men instigate some of the fights/drama by passing along information from one player/survivor to another.

I have to laugh thinking back to when the reality TV scene really came out and the first season of Survivor aired, my Uncle and I were talking about it and he had a few choice words. He said he had heard about "Survivor" and he wanted to tune in to see what it was about. So he said he thought about survival methods and what his time serving in the US Army being at war was like. Probably one of times he, like many other soldiers, had to use many instinctive survival methods. So keep all this in mind he tunes at 7pm and hears the opening music and then he says all he see's is a TV show of a bunch of whiney bimbos in bikini's. I will refrain from sharing with you his choice words after that. But really does the term "survivor" really define what they do out there?

Another thought I have wondered about lately in this reality TV phenomenon is that with the copius amounts of reality tv shows that air these days it really won't take long until everyone in North America has appeared in some form on one of these shows. Think about it. How many reality tv shows are on these days:
1) Survivor
2) Amazing Race
3) Fear Factor
4) Big Brother
5) A Baby Story
6) Trading Spaces
7) Overhaulin'
8) A Wedding Story
9) A Makeover Story
10) American Idol
11) Canadian Idol
12) Inxs Rockstar
13) Extreme Makeover
14) Extreme Makeover Home Edition
15) Property Ladder
16) Moving Up
17) Taking it Off
18) The Bachelor/Bachelorette
19) Beauty and the Geek
20) Perfect Proposal
21) Trauma in the ER
22) Trading Spaces Family
23) So you think you can Dance?
24) In a Fix
25) Clean Sweep

Now 25 shows... times how many seasons and episodes multiplied by how many people appear in each show it won't take long for every person in North America to have been seen on one of these shows. In all honesty 25 is just the start of the list of show there are actually out there. There is probably a TON more shows that I haven't even heard of. To top it off I feel for people who have a real passion for acting & performing. Some of the people struggle to make this there career singing, dancing and acting and the industry is flooded with "reality" tv shows of people who aren't even actors.

But I have to say I truly am one of the suckers that makes these shows successful. I tune in faithfully to my few favorites and talk about them constantly with my friends, co-workers and Big Daddy. Maybe I should start signing up to appear on a few of them.... should we start bets on how long until I am accepted to one of them. Place all the bets you want, my bet goes to Canadian Idol, I sing so terribly awful I would be one of the people they show at the very beginning whom they put in the show just for everyone to laugh at.

At least my kids love the way I sing! At the end of the day I couldn't ask for anything more.

TWO, and counting.

Trenter had a birthday.... I wish I had words to express the day. I think the 2nd birthday is harder than the first. Like I have said, two is a milestone of baby turned toddler. Trent doesn't really have a pal or friend his own age so we had a family birthday party which was great all in it's own right. Trent could have cared less, there were a few people to play with, his family & grandparents, pizza, cake and some presents that were all for him. I can tell he thuroughly enjoyed his day when I check on him and he has fallen into a peaceful slumber with a look of pure satisfaction & joy on his face. Ohhh to be a kid again.
It was a great day.
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As long as i'm living, my baby you'll be.

Do you ever look at your children and wonder where they will end up in life?

When Joseph was a baby before he could even speak I always said I thought he had an old soul. He has these eyes of depth and wisdom like he has been somewhere before. When he started to talk, quite early in life too I might add, his voice and words portrayed to me more and more that what I thought of his old soul to be true. He has this quiet knowledge for things and intelligence that I really hope takes him somewhere. As well as his inate ability to pick up on things and remember them forver. They say UNO is only for kids 7 & up... Joseph can UNO your ass right across the table anyday... and then ask you three months later if you remember a particular hand that he beat you at.

When Joseph was 2/3ish I started to ask him what he thought he might like to be when he grows up? Really I asked for humour sake. His reply was "Dr. Pierce" I said "oh you want to be a doctor! That's great, we will have to call you Dr. Marien then won't we" His reply was "NO... I said I want to be Dr. Pierce NOT Dr. Marien." The practicality behind his words and seriousness of things to him is what is such a riot.

But as time has gone on, his career has changed from Doctor, to Bus Driver, to Teacher, and now Hockey. I wonder though if he will end up being a teacher of some kind. Since we have started working with Trent on his speach a little more and asking Trent to say/practice words Joseph needed to get in on the action. So he will ask Trent to say words he knows or if they are playing Joseph will stop and say "Trent can you say...." and list an easier word Trent might have a shot at repeating. Joseph does it with such care and concern too and gives a great amount of praise when Trent does well, or a hearty "we'll try again later" if things don't go well.

At first I wondered if this was just brotherly love and a sort of bonding. But I think it is more than that. Joseph has a care and concern for everyone. His friend was over the other day and he asked him to play UNO. His friend is younger than him and isn't overly familliar with his numbers yet. Joseph's reply was "I will teach you then! One look this is the number one and holds out one finger" His friend really could have cared less and was more interested in a fiesty round with some ninja turtles.

As for where Trent ends up in life I have yet to wonder about. He's personality is so new it is like he has a brand new soul. Trent is feisty and creative. He loves to draw, wrestle and have a good laugh. It is like he dosen't sweat the small stuff but yet his emotions run deep. He enjoys a bit of everything life has to offer. Whatever he ends up doing in life I think he will need to wear a helmet. Because this little man... if there is the slightest chance you can bang your head on something, trust this kid to do it. Hmm, visions of NASCAR just screamed through my head.

It is hard to believe that in less than a week Trent will be turning two years old. It is like I have know him my whole life. It is hard to remember what life was like before he came on the scene. I can't wait to experience the next stage of his life with him. Since really I see two as being a transitional age from baby to toddler. *sniff* Toddler.

I guess a number doesn't really matter... whether they are 6months, 6 years, 16 years or 60 years... they will always be your baby.

Cuter than Cute

Joseph & his hip attachment/cousin/best friend... isn't this what ALL kids do at weddings

Defining the Moment

Today I was told that a post in my blog made me sound like an "idiot"
So being offended by this I decide to find a dictionary definition of idiot.

"A person of profound mental retardation having a mental age below three years and generally being unable to learn connected speech or guard against common dangers. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive"

Well for the record, I guess I am infact NOT an idiot because I do have a mental age above THREE and I was smart enough to be offended and find a definition that told me I was correct in standing offended.

But you know those common dangers I just haven't a handle on yet.

Sincerely,
Idiot

Wedding Bells

Weekends are wonderful... Weddings are wonderful.

This weekend we attended a wedding, it was wonderful. But it made me think about a few things. Whenever anyone gets engaged they ask what things I liked/disliked about our wedding. I loved our wedding it was perfect and a nice way to celebrate the start of our marriage. But really if I were to be getting married now instead of then I am sure I would do a few things differently.

I think when I was planning our wedding I just did things because, well, that is what you did. Being 20 years old and planning such a large swaray is an overwhelming task. It obviously is for any bride since the term "bridezilla" usually comes along about any gal who is about to walk down the aisle. But I think one thing I have pondered the last few days more than anything are the traditions behind the events at a wedding. Some of them I fully understand and think that they have deep meaning and would definitely do if I were to be planning a wedding at this point in time, others are a real head-scratcher for me and I have come up empty handed as to any sort of meaning they hold and why people make such a fuss over them.

I also wonder if these "traditions" are world wide, Canadian, North American or what. I am sure some things about wedding are similar across the globe but others probably vary so drastically. I think the concept of rings is pretty world wide... I could be wrong (LOL and usually am) but I believe in the tradition of rings and what they symbolize. I think that marital love should be everlasting and have no beginning or end, just as a ring does. Plus when your pregnant at 21/22 years old people look for the ring all time I know from experience.

Other traditions I think I understand are A) The Reception - for the simple fact that it is usually a really blessed day that you want to celebrate. B) The First Dance - I think dancing is looked upon as intimate and emotional which only couples should share. C)The Toss - I guess I understand the whole bouquet/garter toss, not that it ever really happens that the person who catches it is next to get married. I would bet the statistics probably really isn't what upholds that tradition. I don't fully understand why two things the bride has brought to the wedding get thrown??? Why doesn't the groom throw his boutinier thing?? Is the garter throwing a symbol that he is going to get lucky on his wedding night?? If so why wouldn't he flip open his wallet and toss the condom he had in there since he was 16 years old? Since really a reason for marriage is to pro-create, so it would be symbolic that your tossing away forms of birth control now that your married.

A few of the traditions I really don't understand all that well are A)Attendants - bridesmaids & groomsmen, why so many, I was at a wedding once where there were 14 attendants! I think if I were to get married at this time in my life I might just have one. Simply for the purpose that they have to sign the certificate. Don't get me wrong, I love my bridesmaids dearly and they all hold a special place in my heart. But they day is about the bride not a bunch of girls who walk down the aisle before she does. Or are these attendants supposed to help you do everything? I guess I chose to do everything myself because I am anal about things, and really bridesmaids or not, true friends would help you do something if you asked them to anyways right... I know I would. Just seems a little odd now that I think about it. B) The Cake - What is the deal with the cake? Yes, wedding cakes are beautiful. But usually so are their price tags. What is the point of it??? We have already eaten dinner did we pose lovingly with our hands on one $150 knife with is $25 bow to cut & butter our dinner roll? NO. What is that about? Furthermore, this bride spends all this time getting dolled up and some spend a small fortune getting their makeup done for that day just for their Big Daddy to smash cake in her face and everyone laughs? Why does the couple cut it? Why aren't their wedding candles? Hey, nix the fact I said that. The entrepreneur in me is screaming out that I should invent wedding candles for the bride and groom to light once blow out for the mere price of $50... $75 for s special order. What is so "traditional" about the cake and its cutting I just can't grasp. So I must admit that if I were getting married right now, at this time in my life I probably would not have a cake. Because really it just needs a table of all its own and that just hogs up some good dancing space.

With all that said, Big Daddy and I did spend a small fortune on our wedding 6 years ago and I wouldn't change it for the world. It was a great wedding with lots of guests, good food and a lot of fun. But truth be told I wish I knew then what I know now and life isn't all about the wedding, it truly is about the marriage. The tiny little things about the wedding that I thought were huge at the time are faded now and they definitely hold no place in what our marriage is. A wedding is just that, a wedding. It is one day. A marriage is a lifetime. This day in age I think people all too often forget that when they get married. I truly believe that if some people took the effort they put forth to plan their wedding and put that sort of energy in to building a marriage the divorce rate wouldn't be so high. But, who am I to say...What do I know?

One little word

Why is it that a child can dig a hole in your heart with a single word. They don't try to, they don't do it on purpose and they very well have no clue how it makes a Mothers heart ache.

The word is Daddy... wether they call you Daddy, ask for Daddy, cry for Daddy or just say it first. As Mothers we have unconditional love for our children and love them from that moment we see two pink lines on the stick we've just peed on. Really all we ask for is a little of that love back and preferance to say "Mommy" first.

Maybe it is just me and maybe it is just the simple fact that I have boys. My two little dudes have a tremeandous amount of love for Big Daddy and they do spend more than the average father & son time together. So it is natural for them to gravitate to him just as much as they should to me. Maybe it is because Big Daddy is the wrestling, fun, card playing, moving watching, and lets have some more treats & juice kinda father. Whereas I am the read some books, practice things, pick up your toys, wash your hands, try these vegetables with a chaser of milk, kind of mother.

As you are all aware Trent is having some langauge hindrences. Yet one of his few words is "Daddy". I know I shouldn't take it so personal since he calls everyone and everything "Daddy". But I am having a hard time breaking through to him that my name is Mommy. Since we went to the lake a few weeks ago I was teaching Joseph how to introduce himself by saying "Hi, My name is Joseph" while extending a proper handshake. It was cute as all get up and everyone got a real kick out of his little man-ness. So Trent decided to get in on the action and cuteness so he would say "hi" and extend his chubby little left hand for a left handshake. So now when Trent directs a "Daddy" at me and I kneel down and say "Trent, my name is Mommy" "MOMMY" he smiles says "hi" and thrusts his chubby little left at me. I don't think it helps when Big Daddy bursts out laughing. I must admit it is cute and sweet, but even just once in awhile he could throw a "Mommy" in there would that be too much to ask?? Maybe. But it still would be nice wouldn't it... all you Mommies out there know what I am talking about don't ya.