iPhoneography: April Edition

Here's a little Instagram snapshot from the last month, because sometimes it's just more convenient to snap pictures on my phone instead of lugging my big camera around.

I had plans to visit my good friend and her newborn baby at the hospital (more on that later), but as I was about to leave, Blake threw himself on the ground begging to come with me. I knew that he was past due for some one-on-one time, and there wasn't really any reason he couldn't come, so we loaded up and spent an entire afternoon and evening together. We drove to our old college town and I showed Blake the apartment where we lived for 8 months after he was born. He was really curious about his bedroom window and how his bed got from there to the house we live in now.

After visiting the sweet new baby, we stopped to get my ring cleaned and Blake was put to work at the machine. We had dinner at J-Dawgs, which used to be a little hot dog stand on campus but now has expanded into an entire corner restaurant. Blake deemed our date "the best, most special day ever."  He has been asking ever since when we get to have a special day again.

We decided to get a season pass to the children's museum this year, and we discovered recently that we could sign up for special art or music classes. The activity last week was painting watering cans. Nash had a little too much fun with his first painting experience. He painted his hands and the insides of his mouth more than the actual watering can.

This year is flying by. How is it almost May already?

Machines

Blake is in a serious machine phase.

Everything that he plays with gets turned upside down, stacked up, hooked together, and transformed into an intricate "machine."

Each day after quiet time, he struts down the stairs and explains to me the new combination of toys that he orchestrated into a machine.

Usually there are tickets, seatbelts, and start and stop buttons involved with operating his machinery. Sometimes his machines even convert into roller coasters or other modes of transportation.

Back when we were in Hawaii, it came in handy that he could scrounge up household items and turn them into machines. There weren't a ton of toys to play with there, but he hardly noticed. He was perfectly content with laundry baskets and a cooler stacked in about 34 different combinations.

When the laundry baskets got old, he ventured out to the garage to round up items for another new contraption.

I sure love his imagination. And who wouldn't want cleaning devices (I mean gates) maneuvered into their couch cushions?

Playtime

They fight just as much as they get along. But they are best friends.

Imagination With a Receipt

I love the imaginations of preschool aged children.

I think that is why I always gravitated towards the young ones back in my teaching days.

But I don't think I grasped back then just how fulfilling it would be to have my very own creative sidekick who constantly invents pretend scenarios.

He built an elaborate car wash made of blocks completely by himself. He asked me to be the first customer. As I drove my matchbox car into the structure, he about gave me a heart attack when he stopped me and exclaimed, "Wait! Would you like a receipt? Yes or No?" What was I thinking when I rushed in to get my car scrubbed without first taking care of important receipt decision?

Then, he stacked up all of the couch cushions into a fort turned restaurant kitchen. He took my order, swiped my "card," prepared healthy meals like cookies, french fries, and ice cream, deliberated over the ingredients, and vanished and reappeared as he concentrated on each task.

Troy came home late from a work dinner tonight to the remains of our day of play. He reminded me that Blake isn't always going to be so eager to include us in his pretend scenarios.

That struck a chord with me because no matter how much I am trying to be right down on his level, I am often multitasking with meals, dishes, cleaning, bills, email, or church assignments, and giving him the "I'll be there in a minute" line over my shoulder.

When I put away the empty fort after I put Blake in bed, I found myself longing for the little boy that enthusiastically filled the cushions all day. Because Troy was right; he won't want to include us in every detail of his life forever.

Blake's deliberation in all of the tiny details of his imagination makes me want to be more deliberate in my mothering. I can't ignore every distraction, but I don't want to let disruptions that are postponable get in the way of this favorite age of mine.

I receive a receipt of affection, forgiveness, and trust on a daily basis from Blake, whether I deserve it or not. I may be the teacher, but I have a lot to learn from him. I hope that his imagination continues to inspire the rest of us.

Rainy Days

I forgot that in Michigan, you can count on it raining at least one or two full days each week, destroying the option to meander along the beach. The view of the sand from our front porch was completely drenched with puddles. We're not used to that much rain here in the mountains.

We improvised in the entertainment department on those days. We went to the children's area in the mall and Nash chatted with all of his homedogs.

 

 Blake tried on his uncle's gigantic (and wrinkly) clothes. 

Nash was tempted over and over to play with the gadgets on the sewing machine.

My mom made Blake a basket full of engaging activities that kept him occupied for hours. Each bag in the basket had its own activity.

Not even the rain could keep us from staying busy every single second.

Children's Museum

We have an amazing children's museum in our city. We finally went to check it out thanks to some passes from my friend. I loved all of the extra colorful touches that were found near the entrance.

Blake was on cloud nine and had a deer-in-the-headlights look on his face the entire time as he checked out all of the details.

Nash was not very thrilled about the bracelet they put around his wrist.

He got over it quickly when he spotted the balls.

There were some serious ball tunnels and shooting contraptions.

Nash figured out how to open the case where the balls were suctioned and he wanted to do it over and over.

The highlight of our visit was the intricate water table. I tried to get Blake to go to a special kindermusik class they were offering, but he wanted nothing to do with instruments and dancing. I don't blame him; there was too much playing to do.

I loved how there were pretend play costumes to coordinate with the hands-on areas.

The pretend grocery store was also a hit. What kid wouldn't love pushing around his own shopping cart and checking out at the end?

Our final stop was the helicopter exhibit.

The museum far exceeded my expectations. Great fun, great day.