Niranjana, Melissa and Andy Perdue

I am now an expert on Little Einsteins, a Disney cartoon where four diverse children go on adventures around the world in a red rocket, incorporating classical music and famous artwork. The stories are clever enough that Andy and I don't mind watching them over, and over, and over. And over.

Niranjana is mildly obsessed with Little Einsteins. We've managed to find enough gear to support her interest. Now that she's reached a stage where she is able to use her imagination, the pretend theme often centers around a Little Einsteins story. It makes me wonder if she's living in an alternate universe.

We'll be driving home from preschool and she'll blurt out:

"A Nile crocodile is chasing us, go faster!"

"I hear the music, Mommy, the contest is about to start!"

"Vroom vroom. Look out, I hear blue jet coming!" (The big blue fighter jet is rocket's nemesis and, based on its mean streak, an apparent anti-military statement.)

"That train is going adagio." (That's the classical music term for slow, not to be confused with allegro, which is fast.)

It's pretty cute — even if she thinks crocodiles and sharks live in the Columbia River. We'll straighten that out later.

Sometimes I wonder if we're over Einsteining her. But when you look at the choices for entertaining a preschooler so the parents can cook, clean, or spend a few minutes on a computer, this isn't a bad one. I've blogged about Little Einsteins before and likely will do so again, since Leo, Annie, Quincey, and June are practically family.

Welcome aboard!