Oo doesn't have school today; it's a Teacher In-service Day. The kids woke up before me and made me breakfast. Oo made me my usual — a bowl of FiberOne cereal with soy milk. The bowl of cereal was just about enough food to feed one of her baby dolls, so I made a second bowl when she wasn't looking. T filled a cup with fruity Cherrios, pretzels, and chocolate cookies. He didn't feel brave enough to pour the heavy carton of milk, so he left it dry. (Whew!) I told him he made a very good choice.
In addition to having a long weekend, we also have the pleasure of pet sitting Oo's class pet, a bearded dragon named Murray. Here's a conversation I had with Oo just moments ago...
Oo: Can I hold Murray?
Me: Yes.
Oo: Wait... can I hold Murray?
Me: I said, "yes."
Oo: Okay. It's just that my ears... whenever you're talking, they just automatically turn off.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Play-Doh Slave
They say a mom holds many job titles: Nurse, Short-order Cook, Teacher, Friend, Psychologist, Janitor, Laundress, Dietician, Social Director, Chauffeur, Bodyguard, Personal Shopper, Baker, Law Enforcer, Cheerleader, Hair Stylist, Toy Repairman, Tower and Train Track Engineer, Storyteller, Secretary, Mind Reader, Dishwasher, Referee, Librarian, Comfy Chair, and Pack Mule, just to name a few.
Well, I can now add "Play-Doh Slave" to my résumé.
For the past I-don't-know-how-many months, T has been OBSESSED with Angry Birds, which is interesting because we have a no-video-games policy in our house. His first exposure to the birds was a YouTube video we watched together. ("Wait," you say, "there are YouTube videos of Angry Birds?" Yes, not only are there some promotional videos that were made by the company, there are a SLEW of animated videos made by fans.)
Since gaining interest in Angry Birds, T has begun a collection of Angry Birds items. He has two Angry Birds games (not video games, but the kind where you have to build the pigs' houses with blocks), some figurines, an Angry Birds kite, pencil toppers, stickers, plush toys, and an Angry Birds t-shirt that he wants to wear every... single... day.
One of T's favorite videos to watch is of a little boy named Evan who is showing off his collection of Angry Birds that his dad made out of Sculpey clay. That video inspired T to build his own Angry Birds out of Play-Doh. But when he found that his Play-Doh skills didn't quite produce the quality he was looking for, he pouted, and then he blinked those baby blues at me. Now, I'm his Play-Doh Slave.
Anywhere from once to three times a week, T digs out the Play-Doh and I start taking orders. He usually requests the birds in the same order: red, blue, yellow, black, white, etc. Sometimes he wants me to make the birds from the Angry Birds Seasons or Angry Birds Space games, and every now and then he'll dictate the design for a new type of bird. But he ALWAYS wants me to make the pigs — he loves the pigs. Oo gets in on the act too, she's not a fan of the characters, but she likes making her little brother happy.
After the characters are all created, T usually wants pictures taken of them. Once he even made a video that was almost word-for-word the same as Evan's Sculpey-clay video! (I'd post T's video here but it's way too long.) Here are some of our pictures:
Well, I can now add "Play-Doh Slave" to my résumé.
For the past I-don't-know-how-many months, T has been OBSESSED with Angry Birds, which is interesting because we have a no-video-games policy in our house. His first exposure to the birds was a YouTube video we watched together. ("Wait," you say, "there are YouTube videos of Angry Birds?" Yes, not only are there some promotional videos that were made by the company, there are a SLEW of animated videos made by fans.)
Since gaining interest in Angry Birds, T has begun a collection of Angry Birds items. He has two Angry Birds games (not video games, but the kind where you have to build the pigs' houses with blocks), some figurines, an Angry Birds kite, pencil toppers, stickers, plush toys, and an Angry Birds t-shirt that he wants to wear every... single... day.
One of T's favorite videos to watch is of a little boy named Evan who is showing off his collection of Angry Birds that his dad made out of Sculpey clay. That video inspired T to build his own Angry Birds out of Play-Doh. But when he found that his Play-Doh skills didn't quite produce the quality he was looking for, he pouted, and then he blinked those baby blues at me. Now, I'm his Play-Doh Slave.
Anywhere from once to three times a week, T digs out the Play-Doh and I start taking orders. He usually requests the birds in the same order: red, blue, yellow, black, white, etc. Sometimes he wants me to make the birds from the Angry Birds Seasons or Angry Birds Space games, and every now and then he'll dictate the design for a new type of bird. But he ALWAYS wants me to make the pigs — he loves the pigs. Oo gets in on the act too, she's not a fan of the characters, but she likes making her little brother happy.
After the characters are all created, T usually wants pictures taken of them. Once he even made a video that was almost word-for-word the same as Evan's Sculpey-clay video! (I'd post T's video here but it's way too long.) Here are some of our pictures:
Adrian teases me about being a Play-Doh Slave. He says that T has me wrapped around his little pinkie. And yet, since I first started drafting this blog entry, Adrian downloaded Angry Birds onto his phone so T could play the game— yep, breaking the no-video-games rule. So... who's wrapped around the boy's little pinkie now?
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
A Practical Approach to Interior Design
We're finally going to paint the upstairs bathroom! I've been wanting to do so ever since we painted it 8 years ago. It's a sunshiny yellow, cheery and light. But I don't like it. The yellow makes everything look dingy, and it makes the beautiful azure tiles on the floor look like teal — I hate teal. We decided to paint it white. GASP!! I know, I know, we said we'd never have more than one white room in the house, but white really is the best choice for that bathroom.
On Monday afternoon, I decided to trek to the paint store to get some paint chips. I told the kids to put their shoes on so we could run a quick errand, and I was met with the expected barrage of questions: Where are we going? Do we HAVE to? Do we hafta go NOW? Why do you hafta to paint the bathroom? Why don't you like yellow? What color are you gonna paint it?
When I told the kids we were going to paint it white, T did not take the news well:
T: (in a loud, panicky voice) But you CAN'T paint it white because then the WHOLE potty will be camouflaged!!! (a pause, then very quietly...) I won't be able to find the potty.
On Monday afternoon, I decided to trek to the paint store to get some paint chips. I told the kids to put their shoes on so we could run a quick errand, and I was met with the expected barrage of questions: Where are we going? Do we HAVE to? Do we hafta go NOW? Why do you hafta to paint the bathroom? Why don't you like yellow? What color are you gonna paint it?
When I told the kids we were going to paint it white, T did not take the news well:
T: (in a loud, panicky voice) But you CAN'T paint it white because then the WHOLE potty will be camouflaged!!! (a pause, then very quietly...) I won't be able to find the potty.
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