Playing Around

For someone who does not like the noises of stove fans, hair dryers, or a coffee grinder, he can sure get a lot of inexplicable enjoyment from sonic-ing about!

It's the 11th Doctor's. I love the Captain America t-shirt too.

Magic Marker Monday: Lego Love at Last

This is a not a typical Magic Marker Monday post because James was following directions to build something with Legos.

I decided to post this here today because for James, this is a creative project. Despite several attempts to introduce him to Legos, large, small, and kit versions, he's remained politely uninterested. My bare feet and vacuum were grateful. Last Christmas, he received a pair of cool Lego Star Wars jammies from his cousins and uncle. He liked the fabric more than the design.

Some time over the summer, he started to become interested in Lego Star Wars (I am thinking SW Angry Birds on his dad's phone was his Gateway).James became increasingly interested in both Legos and Star Wars. His godmother gave him an awesome Star Wars Leggo advent calendar for Christmas this year. He loved it, but I had to hide it because all the little pieces were immediately lost in the mayhem that was our house.

Then I found a Leggo book with sotries, Lego pieces, and instruction for building cars, helicopters, and other vehicles that James likes. He got it for his birthday. Yesterday, he asked me to help him put it together.

What a sweet feeling, to work together with a feeling of excitement and anticipation. James was so proud, he showed it off to everyone and spend (for him) a long time playing with it.




For more great masterpieces or to share some of your own, visit
5 Minutes for Special Needs for more Magic Marker Monday.

                            
  

Merry Christmas. Every one.

Christmas morning came early. Mornings usually do where James is concerned. I was able to safely corral him in his room until just after 7, when he emerged and announced "Hi, Mommy. I going to RElax with you!" Once on the sofa with me, he said "I going to kiss you!" And he did, right after he fell on me with loving glee.  Oof!! At over 60 pounds, he's getting big.

Then his real purpose became clear; "I play Caillou on your white computer, okay? Okay" Kiss-kiss-kiss. Giggle, giggle, dancing over to my laptop.

Around 7:40, his Daddy and sister emerged, ready to start their Christmas morning. It dawned on James that Christmas was actually really and truly here. Oh the openings! The talking! The exclamations of "Oh! I love it!! Do you love it, Mommy?/Daddy?" The iPad sucked him in. Already he's managed to take off Angry Birds, a slew of apps, and mess up PhotoBooth. He also figured out the volume and screen controls before I could even think about them.

Then he played with his other toys. His Leapster spelling cards, the megaphone from Grandpa (who's going to get a voicemail of thanks, in the loud Robot voice), and his toy train washdown (carwash for trains). He was ecstatic that Percy came with it. He play acted a play date between Percy and Thomas in 3 different rooms, ending up with himself draped over his new shark bean bag chair. Oh my heart, what a happy Spirit of Christmas present. It's done me a lot of good.

This has been a year with lots of heartache in it. Things are going to be tough for a while yet. I look at our children, especially James this morning, and find some of the brightest spots of hope for the future.

Preparing for Halloween

For the first time, both kids are excited about Halloween. James asks every day if we are going Trick-or-Treating tonight. Just this week he's started asking if we can look at decorations. We've gone out to look, but decorations are scarce so far.

I think part of the reason they are so excited this year is because they had fun the last two years around our house, and therefore have good memories to make them anticipate what's to come. Also? Last year we were in SoCal for a few family events this time last year, and I was able to take them to the first ever Mickey's Trick-or-Treat party at Disneyland. Now there's a place that knows how to throw a party!

Funds are short, but I think we can pull together some decorations of our own from things we mostly have around the house / yard. Here's what I am thinking, Kids can help me cut out eyes, faces, and bats from a roll of butcher paper. We can acrylic paint it black and tape it over our big windows for an effect like this:

One of our scarecrows is falling apart. James has been asking about skeletons (they are using x-ray slides, black paper & Q-Tips to make their own at school). Hmmmm, I'll be I can swing something like this:

And finally, we can do something with the think plant pole in the front yard, where a tree (which was so excellent for Halloween and Xmas decor) used to be:

As for costumes, James is currently leaning toward being Willie Wonka (a la Tim Burton & Johnny Depp). His sister wants to be a witch. Kiki, specifically. She is so excited that she dressed up her doll as an Indian Princess:

Loving it!

Specialty

The Queen of Windsor (or was the the Queen of Santa Rosa?) visited James' preschool earlier this month.



The classrooms all make a big deal of pushing their desks together and creating a royal banquet table. The teachers decorate. It is marvelous! The kids are given the option to dress in costume to meet the queen and feast at the royal ball. What a neat way to engage in creative play, teach table manners, and put a little zip in a month that has been largely cold, grey, and damp.

I love this picture because I see James being shy but wanting a hug from his queen, then getting totally sidetracked by becoming fascinated with her gloves.