February 20, 2002

Adventures with Abby

Posted by Scott at 06:33 AM

I had mentioned yesterday the difference between Claire and Abigail in doing CD-ROMs on the computer. When I got home Michelle told me that Abby finished all the activities on her Reader Rabbit pre-school CD-ROM, twice. Michelle was totally impressed. On the second go-around Abby was clearly explaining to Michelle how the different games were played, explaining the strategies involved. Michelle asked me where I got them from so she could pick up the kindergarten level CD-ROM. I explained that I got the pre-school and 1st grade CD-ROMs at Circuit City and that there was a kindergarten level CD-ROM sandwiched in between them.

Michelle decided late in the morning to drive with Abby and the boys down to Circuit City to try and buy the CD-ROM. Evidently Abby was a little in need of some rest. The folks at Circuit City greeted her as she came in the door and asked if she needs help. They took her straight to the kids software section and quickly Michelle found the correct kindergarten CD-ROM. She handed it to Abby to hold and they spent a few minutes looking around. Soon they headed over to the counter to pay for the CD-ROM. Abby was very proud and excited at the thought that mom was buying a new game just for her. Michelle asked Abby to hand the checkout clerk the CD-ROM for a minute so that we could buy it.

Now the story gets interesting. Abby doesn't understand this checkout concept. In her somewhat tired state she thinks that she is giving up the CD-ROM and starts to loose it. Michelle explains that it is just for a minute so that we can buy it. Michelle proceeds to hand the clerk the CD-ROM. The clerk can tell what is going on and tries to be quick about scanning the price and doing the degaussing of the magnetic security strip so that it doesn't set off any alarms when Michelle goes through the scanners near the door. She hands it back to Abby whose mindset is now, "No! I don't want it! It's not the same anymore!" She's stubbornly crying at this point. Michelle is naturally a bit embarrassed at Abby's behavior but quickly explains to the clerk that Abby doesn't quite understand the checkout process and is pretty tired. They briskly head out the door to the van and head home.

Of course on the drive home Abby falls asleep, albeit briefly since it's not that far to Circuit City. Soon after they get home Abby forgets all about the tirade and is once again excited to have a new CD-ROM to play.

As I mentioned yesterday, the boys were a bit cranky yesterday so they both went down on the early side: 6PM. I got drawn into watching the movie Witchblade which was on WB last night. It was an interesting mix of an NYPD Blue (sans nudity), the Matrix, and Tomb Raider in it's style. I could do without the reference to Joan of Arc being a Witchblade carrier, but otherwise it was pretty cool compared to some of the tough female superhero stuff that's been out there: Dark Angel, Buffy, etc.

Comments