27 February 2007: Clean Up Time
We’ve been working with A. on being more helpful when it is time to clean up. Usually, it is E. doing all the work and A. being destructive while he is doing it. Things only get done because E. is faster at cleaning than A. is at uncleaning. But now I have taught E. to help A. “get it” when I am not there to help {nursing}. He hands her something and tells her where it goes. This keeps her out of trouble and helps her learn the art of tidying up.
Today, I had a couple friends coming over during naptime, and the kids were doing a great job at cleaning. At the very end, I called to A. to come and put away a puzzle she had been working on. She ran into the living room where I was nursing and grabbed her puzzle and began to ran back to the playroom where it belonged. But it was one of those chunky puzzles that need to be carried with both hands. She didn’t realize this, and I didn’t think to tell her. And so the room ended up with more clutter than it started with! As she was running, pieces dropped behind her left and right, and she was too excited about the task to even notice!
26 February 2007: Technological Expression
E. was tired today. So, naturally, he told me that his batteries were running down and that is why he needed a nap.
20 February 2007: Water Babies
This morning was one of those mornings that happen to others moms, and it is just now starting to be funny. At the time, after a long line of disobedience in the house, I was near to tears.
Anyhow, I had to take E. out of the room to discipline him, and I forgot that this would leave A. alone with Baby Q., who was peacefully sleeping in her bassinet. I also forgot that I never leave A. alone with Q. because A. cannot be trusted as she does not seem to understand that Q. is a person.
As I re-entered the room, I saw A. up on our coffee table {right next to the bassinet}, quickly putting down my water bottle. She’s been in trouble for drinking from it, so I asked her if she drank my water. She told the truth and said no. Then Q. began to cry. When I went to check on her, I noticed that she was soaking wet! Poor Q. had been treated to an unexpected bath!
Since she seemed to want to keep sleeping, I wiped her down and let her drift back to dreamland, all the while staring sternly at the Big Monster Sister.
14 February 2007: Allergic to Red
E. is ultra-sensitive to Red 40, which can make a Valentine’s Day party interesting. And that’s exactly what he went to tonight: a Valentine’s Day party at Cubbies. I warned him throughout the day that he shouldn’t eat anything red or pink because they both have Red 40 in them. He knows that it is bad for him, so he is usually good to avoid it. But I told him I was afraid he’d get so excited about the party that he’d forget.
As he was getting ready for bed, I overheard him telling Si: “Mom said she was afraid I’d get too excited and eat something red…” {long pause} “…and I did!”
12 February 2007: Escape!
E. had a poor attempt at multitasking late this morning. Granmama was coming over, and E. was excited both to unlock and open the door, and also to give her the Valentine he had made for her and Granddad. He ran back and forth, having trouble deciding which to do. Finally, he ran up to the door, unlocked and opened it, and then ran away to grab his Valentine. A. saw this as her opportunity to finally escape, and she ran fast as she could out the door. I thought she had repented when she turned around and ran back inside, but Granmama informed me that in actuality, her bare feet had simply hit the cold sidewalk and shocked her into coming back home. Apparently, running away is best done on warm days.
5 February 2007: At Dinner
E.: I wish I could see Mary. {long pause} God’s parents–
Si: God doesn’t have parents.
E.: God’s parents–
Si: God doesn’t have parents.
E.: Uh huh!
Brandy: You mean Jesus’ parents?
E.: Yes. God’s parents–
Si: Jesus’ parents were Mary and Joseph, but Jesus is God’s Son and His real Father is God the Father.
E.: Well, who’s God then?
Si: {making a triangle with his fingers} We worship one God. There is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, but They are all one God.
E.: So God’s parents–
Si: {the challenge of explaining this to a four-year-old starting to show on his face} God doesn’t have parents–
Brandy: Drink your milk.
3 Comments
I always appreciated those puzzle balls – the individual pieces come together to form one whole. Of course that isn’t completely accurate, because each piece is fully God in himself, but it was a useful picture for my child-mind.
After the triangle model failed miserably, I made a circle with my hands to illustrate the unity of the Trinity. That bombed, too. I think if I had four hands doing two diagrams and a few text boxes suspended off my fingers stating “God is…” and “God is not…”, E. would definitely have figured it out.
Okay that is just priceless! We have had similar discussions at our house, with very similar outcomes as yours. It’s great how our kids make us really think about what we believe and why we believe it.