Max is a Genius

The other day we were playing with the alphabet mat.  Max brought me an R and then said it.   I was shocked but thought it was a coincidence.  So I picked up another one and asked him what it was.   K.   He knew it.   I asked him to go find a T.   He walked all over the mat, I had about given up when he found it.  He squatted down, pointed to it and said "T".   He KNEW it.   W is apparently his favorite.  He knows the difference between a b and d and M and W.  He knows the song and the letters independently of each other.   He cant say 5 words but he knows his alphabet.   Claire cant stand it.   When I tell people or start drawing letters for him to identify, she always comes busting in and starts singing the song.  Which she does know.  But She doesnt know her letters separately.  If I point to one, she doesnt know it.   She guesses.   But Max.   Good ol Max.   Now, he has a thing.   He shouts the alphabet all day.   When he cries, he cries the alphabet ( I really need to get that on tape because its hilarious).   "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaeeeeeeee,  B, C, Deeeeeeeeeee"   sniffle, "Quuuuuuuu, Rrrrrrrrr"  R usually turns into kissy lips.   SO darling.   How can anyone not comfort the darling baby crying his alphabet?   My boy.   How did he learn it?  Super Why on PBS.   And an alphabet fishy game on my phone.   The only games I have for them on my phone are education games, mostly sight words and letters to help with their vocabulary.  Max makes his mommy proud.

A Tight Ship

I've been festering lately. Have you heard of a tight ship? As in, "She runs a tight ship"?  My friend Jodi who has 4 children including a set of twins just weeks older then mine apparently "runs a tight ship" (according to a mutual friend).  My neighbors sister with 5 under the age of 7 apparently runs a tight ship (according to her mother).  I have never been told that I run a tight ship.  At least not to my face and probably not behind my back either.  I've been told Im the fun mom. Or people say they dont know how I do it.  I dont know, apparently not very well.   I, myself, dont feel like I run a tight ship.   Most days are like today when I wish I'd rather just start the day over again.  Or I feel like Im playing it minute by minute.  Ive tried daily schedules, they NEVER stick.   I do try to have something planned for every day.  We are all happier when we have something to do, someplace to go, a project of some sort.   I try to teach them manners,  we are working on tone of voice and interrupting, but there are 3 of them at once with these issues.   I dont know.   I dont run a tight ship, my ship is barely afloat.   Not totally sure what to do different.   I guess Im just not that mom.  

What time is it?

I never knew outside.  And I didnt like taking my phone outside... and who wears a watch anymore anyways?  So I built a clock.   A big one.  So the whole neighborhood could see it.   I like it--I busted apart some pallets that my good buddy at home depot hooked me up with.  The only thing I had to buy were the hands.  But I think I may need to take a break from woodworking for a while and maybe blog a little more, eh?  

Im a good mommy!

See how cool I am?   Blue pancakes for dinner.   Not only after they showed me thier blue tongues did I think about the results in the morning.   Yes, they all had blue poop today.   All day.   And it stained thier little bums blue too.   Blue pancakes, blue tongues, blue poop, blue bums.   They thought it was awesome.   (sigh)

Its Ok Mommy, Im a Doctor

HAHA.  Only Claire.   This week I rolled my ankle.   I was sitting on the steps on our front porch right after it happened and Claire came over and asked what was wrong.   I told her I tripped and hurt my ankle.   She patted me on the should and said "Its ok Mommy, Im a Doctor."   And with that she ran off in the house.   A few minutes later she emerged with her toy doctor bag.   She first took out the blood pressure cuff and after attaching it to my ankle and pressing the airhose several time to pump it she declared "Hmmm,  5 pounds. "   Oh dear.   The she took out the tool to look into ears, and after looking into both of mine she declared them just fine.  That was followed by the shot.   With another comforting pat she told me several times that "Its ok, shots dont hurt."   Haha.  Wonder where she heard that.   She gave me a few shots in the ankle.  She asked me if I needed medicine and I said maybe.   She said "Ok, but Mom, you'll have to go in the house to get it because I cant reach it.   Will you go get your medicine now?  You need it."   What a darling.   The few days after that I had it wrapped in an ace bandage she was pretty concerned and asked me often if I felt better.   I once made the slip of calling her my nurse, but I was quickly corrected that she was indeed a doctor, just like her daddy.   What a doll.  

Just more Paintings

This is my art teacher. He's 80 and has no degree in anything art, just 50 years experience. These are his self portraits. He still takes classes himself and is quite the guy. Looking forward to Fall for the next class. Even though its a beginners class still, I feel like he has plenty to offer.

This one is mine

This one is the one I copied it from

I took my class again and these are the two I did this time. "Ode to Office Space" (which is a movie and the red stapler is classic) and cherries are my fav fruit.

More helping

  

 Thanks to a rainy day and my stack of scrap wood, I was able, with the help of my darlings, to finally build this planter for the basement.   Been wanting to do it since we moved in...