This past Sunday as I walked into my church building with my family, a newlywed couple of just a few weeks also walked in. Levi and Cecil had gone ahead and hidden around the corner, and jumped out at us while saying "BOO!" Austin and I pretended to be surprised. It was pretty cute.
I could see that this newlywed couple LOVED it. I imagine they were thinking about how their family could have a moment like that one day. It really helped me to highlight that sweet moment. They happen all the time--especially with our fun-loving boys trying to scare us! Cecil regularly waits in the dark in the van to say "BOO!" to me when I put the younger kids in their car seats. It's so predictable that I think I would be more surprised if he didn't make a sudden loud noise when I open the door to the van!
That Sunday morning, I was stressed from the tension of getting 4 energetic young children ready for church and out the door, but this couple saw the adorable part. If it wasn't for them, I might not have seen it.
The whole time we walked down the long hallway to the chapel, our boys were being pretty cute just by being themselves, and it was wonderful to see it through fresh eyes. Lincoln stopped at the water fountain to ask for a drink (as he does) and Levi had to be told to walk in the church. All this could be seen as obstacles to getting to the chapel reverently and ready to worship, but seeing my family through the eyes of this couple gave me new appreciation for the enthusiasm and zest for life that children have.
Showing posts with label Stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stories. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Sunday, May 12, 2019
Mother's day 2019
We had a nice quiet Mother's Day here. Lincoln was sick, sick, sick, so after church (Austin stayed home with Lincoln) we just lazed around and spent time together. I took some pictures with the kids, Levi gave me a card, Austin made the meals and also cleaned the kitchen, Cecil gave me a hug and said, "Happy Mother's Day!" and Lincoln gave me the best snuggles all day long (too bad it was because he's sick!).
We had some really nice family time on the couch. Levi has recently finished reading the first Harry Potter book (!!) and watched the movie, so he made a wand for himself and was casting spells on all of us. We took turns being petrified and levitated. Austin joined in and was pretty successful at sabotaging Levi's spells by either blocking them with his hands or saying words almost the same as the ones for the spell, but not quite. When Levi and Cecil working together were finally able to keep him from using his hands to block the spells at the same time Levi was able to say the petrification spell without being messed up, Austin fell down and the boys laughed with joy, and Lincoln even cracked a smile and let out a tiny laugh despite feeling so bad.
Cecil got out our baby doll and Austin had him hold it like a new baby. Cecil was very gentle and careful; it was so cute! Then he wrapped the baby in a blanket and carried it around for a while, placing it on the couch and re-wrapping it at intervals. At one point, he asked for a diaper, which I coached him on putting on the doll but he mostly did it himself. I told him that he was getting good practice in for one day when he's a daddy, and that seemed to make him feel extra special.
I also mentioned that when the new baby is born, Cecil won't be big enough to change his diaper, but Levi probably could! Levi seemed pretty taken with that idea and wanted to get some practice in immediately, and changed Lincoln's diaper! He even thought to give Lincoln a toy to hold without me saying anything. I was pretty impressed! I don't think Lincoln will cooperate so well in the future, but this time he seemed so taken with the novelty of Levi changing his diaper that he just watched and listened in fascination.
 |
| Cecil was pretending the hat was Cappy from Mario Odyssey. That means you can control whoever's wearing it, even if it's a bad guy! |
 |
| Poor sick Lincoln showing the camera his nose (I'm not sure why...) |
 |
| Levi wanted a silly picture! He did smile normally for later pictures, but for some reason my camera had stopped working, so you don't get to see those! |
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Lincoln's words
Lincoln has been a little bit late on learning words because of at least one ear infection that he had. Since that's cleared up, his repertoire of words has been growing quickly!
Most of his words are basics like "Mommy" "Daddy" "Levi" "Cecil" uh-oh, whoa, etc.
Two of my favorites are "please" (peas) and "excuse me" ("me-me" and it's adorable). It warms my mommy heart to think of him already learning polite habits. Even though sometimes it seems like they may be misused. One of his favorite things to do is to move the kitchen rugs to the hall (which is what I do when I sweep), but I like having them in the kitchen to stand on, of course! When I first heard him say "excuse me" it was because I was standing on one of the rugs, working in the kitchen. I felt a little tug at my feet and heard a tiny "me-me." I had to let him take it; it was just too cute! He also has said it at church, while walking along the pew to get from one end to the other.
He's also learned a lot of body parts, especially on the face. He's pretty good at volunteering "nose," "mouth" and "eye" and will repeat "ears" and "toes."
His food words include "choc-choc" (chocolate), banana, and cracker. He will also say "more," "please," or "another one" if he wants more food.
Lincoln's most used word is probably "light." He loves turning on and off the lights around the house. Recently, he said a sentence! "Turn on the light." He also says a lot of other things that I don't understand when talking about lights. If the sun is in his face while we're driving around, he'll whine, "liiight;" if he's excited about the furnace being on in the garage when we come home, he'll say with interest, "the light!" One time, our back door neighbor's outdoor light was on during the day, and he said, "light," pointing at their house. He talks about "the light" all the time, and sometimes I don't even know which one he's talking about!
It has been fun getting a small glimpse into what he thinks about and enjoys.
Most of his words are basics like "Mommy" "Daddy" "Levi" "Cecil" uh-oh, whoa, etc.
Two of my favorites are "please" (peas) and "excuse me" ("me-me" and it's adorable). It warms my mommy heart to think of him already learning polite habits. Even though sometimes it seems like they may be misused. One of his favorite things to do is to move the kitchen rugs to the hall (which is what I do when I sweep), but I like having them in the kitchen to stand on, of course! When I first heard him say "excuse me" it was because I was standing on one of the rugs, working in the kitchen. I felt a little tug at my feet and heard a tiny "me-me." I had to let him take it; it was just too cute! He also has said it at church, while walking along the pew to get from one end to the other.
He's also learned a lot of body parts, especially on the face. He's pretty good at volunteering "nose," "mouth" and "eye" and will repeat "ears" and "toes."
His food words include "choc-choc" (chocolate), banana, and cracker. He will also say "more," "please," or "another one" if he wants more food.
Lincoln's most used word is probably "light." He loves turning on and off the lights around the house. Recently, he said a sentence! "Turn on the light." He also says a lot of other things that I don't understand when talking about lights. If the sun is in his face while we're driving around, he'll whine, "liiight;" if he's excited about the furnace being on in the garage when we come home, he'll say with interest, "the light!" One time, our back door neighbor's outdoor light was on during the day, and he said, "light," pointing at their house. He talks about "the light" all the time, and sometimes I don't even know which one he's talking about!
It has been fun getting a small glimpse into what he thinks about and enjoys.
 |
| The rainbow is from a crack on my phone's screen...gotta get a new one! |
Friday, February 1, 2019
Store
Levi and Cecil were playing store today. Daddy kept asking if he could buy a hug, but Cecil said the store didn't sell those. Cecil kept offering food instead. Eventually Daddy ordered a sandwich.
Later, after Daddy had time to be doing something else, Cecil asked him what he could get him from the store. Daddy said, "I would like some solitude, thanks." Cecil quite cheerfully and confidently says, "Oh! I can get you that!" and runs off to his store.
Baffled, I wait to see what he says when he comes back with the order. Cecil runs back to us with his hands cupped. "Here's your solid food, Daddy!"
Daddy took it graciously and then he and I broke down laughing. Oh, I love these kids!
Later, after Daddy had time to be doing something else, Cecil asked him what he could get him from the store. Daddy said, "I would like some solitude, thanks." Cecil quite cheerfully and confidently says, "Oh! I can get you that!" and runs off to his store.
Baffled, I wait to see what he says when he comes back with the order. Cecil runs back to us with his hands cupped. "Here's your solid food, Daddy!"
Daddy took it graciously and then he and I broke down laughing. Oh, I love these kids!
 |
| Here's the store! The truck in the front is their cash register, and the magformers are the money. I didn't even try to get C to make a normal face! |
Friday, January 25, 2019
January
Hey guys! It's been a while, but I love sharing my life with you, and I'm looking for an alternative to Facebook. Hopefully I'll find this to be a better way of sharing my life with my family and friends.
Here are some pictures from January:
Here are some pictures from January:
 |
| Big L did a science project to see what size balloon has the most potential energy. He hypothesized that the biggest ones would have the most energy. |
 |
| We used the balloons to propel a straw along a string and measured how far they went. The big ones went the furthest, just like he hypothesized! |
 |
| I've had to cut short little L's naps ever since our dear carpooling friend moved away. He used to wake up as soon as I opened the door to his room, but you see that he's still soundly sleeping even though I turned on the light as well. We've worked it out so he gets more sleep now, but there were a couple weeks where his naps didn't work out so well. |
 |
| Little L figured out how to open up our doors! Since the knobs are an unusual shape, I had to make the knob covers myself. I found some examples of crochet ones, made up a pattern, and whipped out a few during a movie with Austin (Ant Man and the Wasp). This photo comes to you courtesy of C, who loves to take pictures with my phone anytime he can. |
 |
| Big L recently started the gifted program at his school. On his first day, they made "brain focals!" |
 |
| Eating frozen blueberries makes him look like a monster! |
 |
| Sitting in the toy box |
 |
| A was asleep, so the boys got a hold of his glasses |
 |
| Lots of cuteness ensued! |
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Two year old pretending
Today, Cecil has been doing a lot of new things, specifically pretending more than usual. He pretended to make dough in the bread maker (long story as to why it was in his reach and why I let him play with it...), pretended to give candy to a toy, and pretended to clean with a mop.
He also has been putting words and concepts together. I love how he uses "no" to tell me something is the opposite of the other word he uses. For example, he and Levi like to squish balloons from Levi's birthday party so they are pear-shaped. He would squish one to look like a pear, say "Pear!" get a reaction from me, and then squish the pear-shaped part down to make it shaped like a normal balloon again and say, "Pear. No." It was soooooo cute!
Cecil knows so many words now, I don't even count them. He is constantly using new ones. This morning, he put some blocks together and said, "Build!" -- one more new word.
He and Levi are also playing together really well lately. Cecil knows the drill that if he accepts something that Levi offers him, it means that he needs to give up whatever toy he has in trade. He also has learned (mostly from observation!) that he doesn't want me to get to 3 if he's doing something that I've told him not to do.
My baby is turning into a little boy, and oh! it's exhilarating to watch these little people learn, grow, and discover.
Thursday, February 11, 2016
I'm a Hero!
I literally put out a fire the other day.
It was pretty exciting!
I had gone to a friend's house, and when I got there, I realized that I had forgotten an essential item for what we had planned to do while together. Thankfully, it wasn't a long trip to get back to my house to pick up the item. While on the way home, I saw what looked like a broken sprinkler head with a small stream of water spraying out of it.
I got home without incident, picked up the item, and started back to my friend's house. Halfway there, I saw that the water spraying out of the broken sprinkler head was actually smoke blowing in the wind, and it had spread 15 or 20 feet from the original area. There was a circle of flames about 15 feet in diameter in the grass. I quickly pulled over the car, ran up to the closest house, and knocked on the door. After a few minutes, a woman came out.
"There's a fire!" I said urgently, "In your grass!"
She was confused for a minute. "What?" she said.
"A fire! Do you have a hose?"
She then looked where I was pointing and saw the fire there. She gasped and said, "Yes, it's right there," indicating a hose hanging on her porch railing that I hadn't noticed before.
We took a couple of minutes to connect the hose to the tap and undo the kinks in the hose, then I started spraying. The hose wasn't long enough to reach the fire, so it was a good thing 10-year-old me had spent so much time practicing spraying my sisters with the hose! I was able to put out most of the fire with the hose, and they brought a bucket to get the area in their neighbor's yard where even the spray from the hose couldn't reach (where the fire had started).
For the most part, I think the fire wouldn't have done much damage where it was--the grass didn't give it much fuel--but it could have blown over to one of the houses nearby. It had already spread to the mulch under a dogwood tree in the yard I was spraying, and the tree would have been lost for sure if the fire hadn't been caught in time. The mulch needed to be sprayed a lot longer than everything else to completely put out the fire and stop the smoldering.
All in all, it was a pretty exciting experience!
It was pretty exciting!
I had gone to a friend's house, and when I got there, I realized that I had forgotten an essential item for what we had planned to do while together. Thankfully, it wasn't a long trip to get back to my house to pick up the item. While on the way home, I saw what looked like a broken sprinkler head with a small stream of water spraying out of it.
I got home without incident, picked up the item, and started back to my friend's house. Halfway there, I saw that the water spraying out of the broken sprinkler head was actually smoke blowing in the wind, and it had spread 15 or 20 feet from the original area. There was a circle of flames about 15 feet in diameter in the grass. I quickly pulled over the car, ran up to the closest house, and knocked on the door. After a few minutes, a woman came out.
"There's a fire!" I said urgently, "In your grass!"
She was confused for a minute. "What?" she said.
"A fire! Do you have a hose?"
She then looked where I was pointing and saw the fire there. She gasped and said, "Yes, it's right there," indicating a hose hanging on her porch railing that I hadn't noticed before.
We took a couple of minutes to connect the hose to the tap and undo the kinks in the hose, then I started spraying. The hose wasn't long enough to reach the fire, so it was a good thing 10-year-old me had spent so much time practicing spraying my sisters with the hose! I was able to put out most of the fire with the hose, and they brought a bucket to get the area in their neighbor's yard where even the spray from the hose couldn't reach (where the fire had started).
For the most part, I think the fire wouldn't have done much damage where it was--the grass didn't give it much fuel--but it could have blown over to one of the houses nearby. It had already spread to the mulch under a dogwood tree in the yard I was spraying, and the tree would have been lost for sure if the fire hadn't been caught in time. The mulch needed to be sprayed a lot longer than everything else to completely put out the fire and stop the smoldering.
All in all, it was a pretty exciting experience!
Saturday, July 4, 2015
God's Love
I was 12 when I first felt and understood--at least to some degree--God's love for me.
It started at least a year (or more) earlier, when my sister Becky and I started sharing a room. Becky had the habit of studying scriptures and praying before going to sleep each night. I admired her (still do!) and thought I should try it out, too.
So each night before cuddling up under the covers with my stuffed dog Cookie and turning off the light, I would read from the Book of Mormon and pray to Heavenly Father. I didn't really have much of a purpose besides doing what I'd been told was right. I wasn't searching for the truth or looking for a manifestation of the reality of God. This was just me "doing my duty," as I saw it.
After several months of this, nothing had changed. Finally, one day as I was saying my prayers (not necessarily praying), I suddenly was overwhelmed by a feeling of immense, unconditional, loving LOVE! I had not asked for it; I was not looking for love or really much of anything from my Heavenly Father, but there it was.
Since then, my knowledge of and faith in God and His son Jesus Christ has grown and matured. I have felt God's love many times since then. I feel that every good, happy thing in my life is made better and happier through my connection with Him. It's definitely a relationship worth developing, and I am so glad that I know Him.
It started at least a year (or more) earlier, when my sister Becky and I started sharing a room. Becky had the habit of studying scriptures and praying before going to sleep each night. I admired her (still do!) and thought I should try it out, too.
So each night before cuddling up under the covers with my stuffed dog Cookie and turning off the light, I would read from the Book of Mormon and pray to Heavenly Father. I didn't really have much of a purpose besides doing what I'd been told was right. I wasn't searching for the truth or looking for a manifestation of the reality of God. This was just me "doing my duty," as I saw it.
After several months of this, nothing had changed. Finally, one day as I was saying my prayers (not necessarily praying), I suddenly was overwhelmed by a feeling of immense, unconditional, loving LOVE! I had not asked for it; I was not looking for love or really much of anything from my Heavenly Father, but there it was.
Since then, my knowledge of and faith in God and His son Jesus Christ has grown and matured. I have felt God's love many times since then. I feel that every good, happy thing in my life is made better and happier through my connection with Him. It's definitely a relationship worth developing, and I am so glad that I know Him.
 |
| Spending time with three of my fantabulous sisters! I'm on the far right. I was about 11 or 12 when this picture was taken. |
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Playful Parenting: my review
This review is for the book Playful Parenting by Lawrence J. Cohen.
I really enjoyed reading and learning from this book. The only thing that really bothered me about it was that the author seemed to think that his way was the only good and proper way to raise children. Considering that my favorite parenting advice is, "read lots of parenting books, take what you like from them, and discard the rest," it's understandable that I don't agree with his disdain of other parenting methods. I think it's valuable to take concepts from several different parenting techniques and use what works best for your family. Going along with that, his section about discipline was a bit confusing. He said don't be harsh but also set limits for the kids. Maybe it's because I'm still new to the whole "playful parenting" thing, but using his methods for setting limits backfired for me, and it was like I hadn't set limits.
Now on to the good stuff! And there's a lot of good stuff.
The playful approach really does minimize or eliminate many conflicts. Here are some examples:
It has also helped me. One day I woke up with a headache and was just generally cranky all day. I wanted to yell and I only had enough patience for one kid at a time. Levi asked me to play with him, and I had one of the toys be grumpy like me. It was really therapeutic to let my feelings out, and playing them using these techniques was a good way to release those feelings without scaring Levi.
Using the strategies taught in the book has also made playing with Levi more fun than before. I think we both enjoy our time together more.
I really liked how the author focused on connection with children. I agree that a connected child is a happier and better-adjusted child. I also feel that a parent has better odds for passing on their values when they are connected to their children.
He focuses on children's need to be loved, and recognizes it as a very real thing. He also explains that they need to be told in many ways that they are loved.
I also really liked his focus on fathers being involved with their children and specific techniques to help fathers play effectively with their children, so that all can enjoy the play time.
He also encouraged parents to foster compassion in boys and independence in girls, with specific strategies for doing so.
__________________________
I highly recommend this book! 4.5 stars.
I really enjoyed reading and learning from this book. The only thing that really bothered me about it was that the author seemed to think that his way was the only good and proper way to raise children. Considering that my favorite parenting advice is, "read lots of parenting books, take what you like from them, and discard the rest," it's understandable that I don't agree with his disdain of other parenting methods. I think it's valuable to take concepts from several different parenting techniques and use what works best for your family. Going along with that, his section about discipline was a bit confusing. He said don't be harsh but also set limits for the kids. Maybe it's because I'm still new to the whole "playful parenting" thing, but using his methods for setting limits backfired for me, and it was like I hadn't set limits.
Now on to the good stuff! And there's a lot of good stuff.
The playful approach really does minimize or eliminate many conflicts. Here are some examples:
- We were reading scriptures together one night and Levi didn't want to read his verse. I got some of his toys to play out the situation and then he "helped" one of his toys to read the verse.
- Bedtime has been difficult some nights--he's been really clingy on those nights and doesn't want us to leave. Playing using the methods in this book during the day make bedtime easier at night.
- Levi is more affectionate and is more accepting of me comforting him when he's sad.
It has also helped me. One day I woke up with a headache and was just generally cranky all day. I wanted to yell and I only had enough patience for one kid at a time. Levi asked me to play with him, and I had one of the toys be grumpy like me. It was really therapeutic to let my feelings out, and playing them using these techniques was a good way to release those feelings without scaring Levi.
Using the strategies taught in the book has also made playing with Levi more fun than before. I think we both enjoy our time together more.
I really liked how the author focused on connection with children. I agree that a connected child is a happier and better-adjusted child. I also feel that a parent has better odds for passing on their values when they are connected to their children.
He focuses on children's need to be loved, and recognizes it as a very real thing. He also explains that they need to be told in many ways that they are loved.
I also really liked his focus on fathers being involved with their children and specific techniques to help fathers play effectively with their children, so that all can enjoy the play time.
He also encouraged parents to foster compassion in boys and independence in girls, with specific strategies for doing so.
__________________________
I highly recommend this book! 4.5 stars.
Monday, January 12, 2015
A fun day with Levi
Today Levi and I spent the better part of the afternoon and all of the evening until bedtime doing stuff together. We had a lot of fun!
A little after noon we went to the grocery store. Levi rode in the cart and gave commentary on the things in the store. He also held (at various times) the celery, the mushrooms, canned beans, and sesame oil. The sesame oil was especially fun because he pretended to pour it into the cans. He overheard a lady saying that she needed to get eggs, and he said, "Momma! We need to get eggs!" Coincidentally, we did need eggs :). The store--which doesn't play music--was graced by his enthusiastic singing. He even got a sticker! We also saw some friends from church. Levi noticed them first, and it was really fun for him to see another kid that he knew at the store.
Cecil slept the whole time (whew!)
After we came home and were putting away the groceries, Levi noticed the blender in one of the cabinets. He got really excited about it and got it out--he never really seemed that excited about it before--and put it on the counter. He asked me to make something in it, so after I finished feeding Cecil (who had woken up and was hungry), I tried out a new hummus recipe that Becky posted on Facebook, and I like it better than the kind I had made before. Levi really liked it, too! He was very interested in the process of making it, as he always is when I cook or otherwise prepare food.
After that, Cecil needed my attention. I try to keep his bouncer close by so he can watch what we're doing and not be bored, so he was close by. He was hungry and tired, so after I fed him and got him to go to sleep, Levi "played on my legs" as he calls it. Basically I gave him leg-horsey rides. I laid on my back with my legs up and bent, he sat on my feet, and I bounced him up and down or back and forth. This game evolved into a tickling game. We had a lot of fun!
When I got tired, I suggested we play Uno, and Levi enthusiastically agreed. The particular flavor of Uno that we played went like this: the cards were dealt, then we took turns matching the color. When we both ran out of the color, we picked the next color at will and continued until neither of us had any cards left. Levi really liked the wild cards and would hold them up, look at them while saying, "I like....green!" and then play a green card. He didn't play the wild; he was saving it for the next color change. At the end of one game he had two wild cards next to him. It was very cute.
Every time we finished a game, Levi said, "Let's play again!" We played at least 15 games.
I dealt for the first 10 or so games, then one time Levi grabbed the cards before I could and--also enthusiastically--dealt out the cards, more or less evenly. Every time we finished a game after that, Levi dealt the cards. Finally I was ready for a change of pace and I told him that the next game was the last one. Levi's really good about believing me when I say things like that, so after we finished that one, he didn't deal out cards for another game.
As soon as we finished Uno, Levi said, "Let's play my game!" which meant putting together the 100-piece floor puzzle that Nathan got him for Christmas. Cecil was ready for undivided attention again, though, so we had a short break while I fed him. Levi got out the puzzle and spread it out on the floor while he was waiting. Finally, I was ready. This was probably the third or fourth time Levi had worked on the puzzle (with help, of course), and he participated much more this time than in the past! He did really well matching up pieces together, and put some together all by himself! Most of them, I'd tell him where to put them and then he'd put the piece where it went. I noticed that he no longer tries to match up pieces that obviously won't fit together (like two ins), but makes sure he aligns the new piece so that it might fit. He still doesn't really get that the picture is supposed to continue from piece to piece, but that'll come later. Levi ended up putting in most of the pieces. One piece was missing, but we found it near where he was spreading them on the floor and put it in at the end.
After all that, I still had energy to do more stuff with him, so I got out a can of pumpkin puree that I'd been meaning to use, and we made some pumpkin muffins. He licked the spoon and the bowl after we put the batter in the oven, at his own request. It went something like this:
Me: We're going to put the batter in this muffin tin.
Levi: And then, I can lick it!
Me (smiling to myself at his enthusiasm): Yes, you can!
Levi really enjoyed putting the ingredients in the bowl after I measured them out. He also liked "cutting" the batter--basically moving the mixing spoon up and down in the batter. We had the muffins with some leftover frosting, and they were SO GOOD. I like food. Yum! :)
That was pretty much my day from 12:00 pm 'til 7:30 pm. I'm really enjoying my growing, learning boy!
A little after noon we went to the grocery store. Levi rode in the cart and gave commentary on the things in the store. He also held (at various times) the celery, the mushrooms, canned beans, and sesame oil. The sesame oil was especially fun because he pretended to pour it into the cans. He overheard a lady saying that she needed to get eggs, and he said, "Momma! We need to get eggs!" Coincidentally, we did need eggs :). The store--which doesn't play music--was graced by his enthusiastic singing. He even got a sticker! We also saw some friends from church. Levi noticed them first, and it was really fun for him to see another kid that he knew at the store.
Cecil slept the whole time (whew!)
After we came home and were putting away the groceries, Levi noticed the blender in one of the cabinets. He got really excited about it and got it out--he never really seemed that excited about it before--and put it on the counter. He asked me to make something in it, so after I finished feeding Cecil (who had woken up and was hungry), I tried out a new hummus recipe that Becky posted on Facebook, and I like it better than the kind I had made before. Levi really liked it, too! He was very interested in the process of making it, as he always is when I cook or otherwise prepare food.
After that, Cecil needed my attention. I try to keep his bouncer close by so he can watch what we're doing and not be bored, so he was close by. He was hungry and tired, so after I fed him and got him to go to sleep, Levi "played on my legs" as he calls it. Basically I gave him leg-horsey rides. I laid on my back with my legs up and bent, he sat on my feet, and I bounced him up and down or back and forth. This game evolved into a tickling game. We had a lot of fun!
When I got tired, I suggested we play Uno, and Levi enthusiastically agreed. The particular flavor of Uno that we played went like this: the cards were dealt, then we took turns matching the color. When we both ran out of the color, we picked the next color at will and continued until neither of us had any cards left. Levi really liked the wild cards and would hold them up, look at them while saying, "I like....green!" and then play a green card. He didn't play the wild; he was saving it for the next color change. At the end of one game he had two wild cards next to him. It was very cute.
Every time we finished a game, Levi said, "Let's play again!" We played at least 15 games.
I dealt for the first 10 or so games, then one time Levi grabbed the cards before I could and--also enthusiastically--dealt out the cards, more or less evenly. Every time we finished a game after that, Levi dealt the cards. Finally I was ready for a change of pace and I told him that the next game was the last one. Levi's really good about believing me when I say things like that, so after we finished that one, he didn't deal out cards for another game.
As soon as we finished Uno, Levi said, "Let's play my game!" which meant putting together the 100-piece floor puzzle that Nathan got him for Christmas. Cecil was ready for undivided attention again, though, so we had a short break while I fed him. Levi got out the puzzle and spread it out on the floor while he was waiting. Finally, I was ready. This was probably the third or fourth time Levi had worked on the puzzle (with help, of course), and he participated much more this time than in the past! He did really well matching up pieces together, and put some together all by himself! Most of them, I'd tell him where to put them and then he'd put the piece where it went. I noticed that he no longer tries to match up pieces that obviously won't fit together (like two ins), but makes sure he aligns the new piece so that it might fit. He still doesn't really get that the picture is supposed to continue from piece to piece, but that'll come later. Levi ended up putting in most of the pieces. One piece was missing, but we found it near where he was spreading them on the floor and put it in at the end.
After all that, I still had energy to do more stuff with him, so I got out a can of pumpkin puree that I'd been meaning to use, and we made some pumpkin muffins. He licked the spoon and the bowl after we put the batter in the oven, at his own request. It went something like this:
Me: We're going to put the batter in this muffin tin.
Levi: And then, I can lick it!
Me (smiling to myself at his enthusiasm): Yes, you can!
Levi really enjoyed putting the ingredients in the bowl after I measured them out. He also liked "cutting" the batter--basically moving the mixing spoon up and down in the batter. We had the muffins with some leftover frosting, and they were SO GOOD. I like food. Yum! :)
That was pretty much my day from 12:00 pm 'til 7:30 pm. I'm really enjoying my growing, learning boy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)