We're Finally a Wii Family

Our Mii Family

Michael and I talked about getting the children a Wii for Christmas. After many rounds of debate we decided not to take the plunge. Then we received some cash as gifts for the holidays and decided to go for it after all.

Of course Nintendo quit shipping Wiis for a week or so after Christmas. Something about closing out their fiscal year. I don't know but you would think they would be able to close out the year and still ship product. Seems like a bit of a flaw in the business plan to me. Anyway, that lead us to have to wait a few extra weeks to get our Wii as no one had them in stock. Last week we found it.

We didn't unveil it until the weekend as we have instituted a "Wii is for Weekends" rule. If you know my son you understand the reason for this rule. He is addicted to all things with screens and if you don't have very clear rules about their usage he hounds you to death wanting to know if he is allowed to play. Every two minutes you have to have the following conversation:

Rehm: Can I play DS?

Me: No.

Rehm: Can I play computer?

Me: No.

Rehm: Can I play Wii?

Me: No.

Rehm: Can I watch TV?

Me: No

Rehm: What can I do?

Me: You can play with your sisters, you can get out a toy, you can read, you can go outside.

Usually he stomps off for a minute or two and then comes back and starts the whole thing over. This continues until you make a hard rule, like no screens between 8am and 4pm. Thus the neeed for the" Wii is for Weekends" rule.

Last Saturday afternoon we decided it was time to get the Wii out. All the kids were playing in the family room. Rehm was playing his DS. We bring it downstairs and start unpacking it. Rehm keeps playing DS. Charlotte goes up to him and tells him we have a Wii. He ignores her. We are all laughing as Rehm has been asking for a Wii for months and he is sitting three feet away from one and is completely oblivious! Finally I pick up the box an wack him on the head with it. I get a "Mom!" and he keeps playing. So I wack him with the box again and then hold it up in front of his face. His eyes got big. His jaw dropped and he tossed the DS down.

Oblivion

Rehm's first question, "Why do you have a Wii box?" Brilliant, I know. That's my boy. "Because we have a Wii," I respond.

"No we don't."

"Um yeah, we do. Why else would I be holding a Wii box?"

"Where?"

"Right here" point at Micheal who is getting everything ready to hook up.

At this point the child looks like a fish out of water. His eyes are bugged and his mouth is working but nothing is happening. He is so beside himself with excitement he can't even form words. I wish I had a video of him but I was too busy laughing and enjoying his response to even think of recording it.

The children all checking out their Miis - this is the twins favorite part of the Wii

So far we all love the Wii. A lot of it is too advanced for the girls. But I do like that it is easy to help them in a way that make them still feel like they are doing something, not just watching others play. I'm sure part of that comes from my own memories as a child of never getting to play video games because I was the youngest and least coordinated so I always got relagated to observer instead of participant.

Rehm is already investigating any loop holes in the "Wii is for Weekends" rule. We have talked about holidays being exceptions and possibly bad weather days from school. This led to a discussion about why the rule would not be suspended for the summer. Duh!

So far we have Wii Sports, Wii Play and Madden. Somehow my dear, dear husband did not buy the Wii Fit, even though it was in stock when he bought the rest. Apparently even though I've said for six months I'd love to have it, we don't need it yet but of course we could not have a game system without having a football game. Don't you love that logic? Oh, he did offer to buy it for my birthday, in July...

Woohoo it is almost time for a Wii Weekend. I don't think we discussed if the weekend included Friday evenings or not. I guess I will be negotiating that detail later today.

Happy Friday y'all,
Jenn