Burning Desire for Math

J made a compass for A the other day.

A seemed pretty intereseted in it, and even helped search for the drill bits needed for the compass's construction.

He made a few circles.

And then the compass became "art."

And later a torch.

Inventive Days

I thought the days of invention were over. 

When he was a little over a year until just recently there would be days when A would try to see if a wooden block could be used as a pen to write on the cat.  Or the days when cat kibble would be pushed between a door to open it.  Or a lid to the shape sorter would be tiddly-winked into an electrical outlet to make the Matrix move.  Or (the most usual) objects that seemed to be indestructable would have their hidden seam, screw, hasp, or weak point instantly discovered and the object would be scattered across three rooms.

He hasn't been doing that latelly.  So, you can imagine my surprise and dismay when I discovered that the knocking noises I heard in the bathroom were A painting the bathroom.  Brown.  With a toilet brush.  Straight from the toilet.  That he'd just been sitting at.  

"But I wanted to make stew," he said after I came down from high parental orbit.

Yes, it's what you're thinking.  

Video Games

Scene:  The library.  A is playing an educational game on one of the computers.

J:  "OK, A; when the timer on the computer goes to zero in ten minutes, you have to stop playing the game."

A:  "Why?"

J:  "Because the Fearful Parent Magazine says if you play too many video games you'll become a thug pushing a shopping cart instead of a doctor from Harvard."

A returns to game.  

Distant Birthday Plans

A recently received a toy knight-king (and a horse), which he likes a lot -- probably because it came with a sword.

He likes the knight so much that this year for his birthday (in June) he wants to have a Knights and Pirates Party.  

When I asked him if he wanted the Pirates to look for old Mediaeval Treasure, or if he wanted the Knights to find a Pirate Treasure, he replied that he wanted the Pirates to find New Pirate Treasure.  

I'm not sure what the Knights were supposed to be doing. 

Luckily, at the SRF last year there were a lot of pirates and knights; so I'm sure we can do a similar event.

The Kid Virus

... has hit.  A has enough energy to be a crazy destructive ball of disgusting fluids.   

It's times like this when I wish there was an incubator or whatever that I could put him into so he could sleep the illness off (which is what he needs right now) and come out a nicer kid (and cleaner, too).

-- 

In other health-related news, last week's procedure went well.  A is experimenting with different voice sounds that we've haven't really heard in a year.

February HiJinx

A decided that we needed to have a Pirate Valentine tree.




A couple of weeks ago we had "Cocoa with Christ."




And A learned how to ski.

After Dinner Vingette

Scene: The dinner table. A and M have just finished their food; J is lingering over his.

M: Hmmm. I have to unload the washer and load the dryer and hang up the shower curtain.

A: (starting to leave). I'll take down the shower curtain!

M: Oh no, mister; you have to ask to be excused.

A: May I be excused?

M: Yes, but only to your room; don't even think about going to the bathroom. I slaved hard to clean that bathroom and you and J are not allowed to pee in it forever.

A: I'm going to go to my room.

M: OK; you can be excused.

(A exits; J raises his eyebrow at M)

A (laughing): I peed!

M: You peed? I didn't hear you pee.

A (laughing more): I peed on the floor. (Grabs M's hand and starts to pull him from the table.

M: Just so you know if you really peed on the floor there's not going to be any video tonight.

(A worried look on his face; grabs a dinner napkin, runs off)

M (calling after A) I think you want to use a towel...

A (returning with a suspicious looking towel; grabs M's hand): Come on. Why are you laughing ?

M & J (putting on poker faces): We're not laughing.