Merry Christmas! I am looking out my attic window onto the street below - no rain or snow. Yes, here in Portland it is clear - and cold, very cold. Last week's snow was perfection - beautiful to watch floating down, didn't stick to the road (to the car, yes, but not the driveway) and was soon gone. My kind of snow. I am thoroughly enjoying Christmas with a 3-year old. Wesley is enchanted with everything and adds his own spin to things.
Window decorations
Right before Thanksgiving Wesley and I traced our hands and turned them into colored-paper turkeys which we taped to the kitchen windows. He had done them at home (Stephanie was much more creative - she added legs and beaks in different colors - the Martha Stewart of turkey production!) and wanted to do them at my house as well. Last week I suggested we replace the turkeys with snow flakes. He was delighted. He is quite good with scissors (well, for a 3-year old) and we cut and snipped away. He taped all our creations to the window adjacent to the turkeys which he insisted must stay as well. We have, therefore, quite a seasonal display.
But then he asked to add something special. I wondered which Christmas addition - Santa? Stars? Trees? No, he wanted to add rocket ships. Of course. I drew a primitive one and then he told me who to put in the windows as passengers - Daddy, Mommy, Greg (visiting right now), Gramma, Grampa Tom (Dan's father), Wesley and in little windows above and below him, Matilda (his dog) and Divet and Newton (his cats). I was happy to oblige.
So, if you are driving down SE 21st Avenue, look for the kitchen window with snowflakes, turkeys AND rocket ships.
Advent Calendar
I gave the Advent Calendar Christmas Tree I made when the children were young to Stephanie so Wesley happily adds a decoration to it each day. At my house I have a Noah's Ark Advent Calendar that Wesley played with last year. To him it was just a toy - I didn't try to use it to mark the march of days toward Christmas. This year, when I pulled it out, I wondered if he would remember it (nope, to him it was brand new) and if he would want to use it as a calendar. Again, nope - it was an interesting toy with lots of possibilities, none of which included a calendar.
I told him the basic outline of Noah and the Ark. He liked the part about the animals marching on board two-by-two. He asked me to make a sign for the ark - can you read it?
And so the play began. He would hide an animal (so that the buddy couldn't go on board), find it, put it in another "boat" (the basket that holds the TV remotes) and sail it over to the ark where the buddies were reunited. They could then go on board together.
Later he decided that having a buddy wasn't enough. The animals must have tickets as well (this from a child who has already flown umpteen times so knows his boarding passes). We attached stickers to all the animals.
Then, love of scatology reared its head. What is happening in the photos below? The animals are peeing off the side of the ark, of course. I blame Lee. Wesley is fascinated by the bathroom system on Lee and Michelle's sailboat - a bucket for those who wish it or, the more direct approach, peeing overboard. Wesley can't wait to be old enough to pee over the side but enjoys using the bucket in the meantime. Noah's animals have already advanced to the "over-the-edge" method. Note that animals go all around the ark.
Nativity Scene
The one I have is tiny - it was all we could afford when we were young parents and, of course, now I wouldn't think of changing it because of all the memories associated with it. I am a history teacher and I liked to place the nativity in an historic setting so I started Mary, Joseph and the donkey across the room and each day Stephanie and Lee would move them a bit forward until, on Dec 24th, they made it to the manger. I started the kings several rooms away - after all, they came from much farther away.
I showed the set to Wesley and started to go over the basic story. Before I got much beyond "They were on their way to Bethleham" Wesley picked up Mary, Joseph and the donkey and deposited them inside the tea pot in the bookshelf. "They have to go to jail first," he said, "Then they can go back on the road." There they stayed for several days. In fact, when I went to move them back to the stable this morning I realized that Joseph has gone missing. I checked the neighboring "jail", the coffee pot, but it was empty as well.
When he is over next we will have to review other possible options for Joseph's location. For the time being the shepherd is sitting in for Joseph. I moved the kings into the photo - they are still in the kitchen, slowly working their way toward Bethleham, but wanted them to have their 5 minutes of fame in the photo.
Cookies
Wesley and I made a set of cookies and had the usual experience - more frosting on his face and hands than made it onto the cookies. Much fun. I am missing Stephanie's girl friends from Carmel High. For years they came over today (Christmas Eve) to decorate cookies. As they grew older I loved listening to their chatter as they caught up with each other's lives while creating interesting frosting colors for cookies that became more sophisticated in their design. They had favorite cookie cutters and brought more to add to my collection. What good memories.
So Christmas 2012 is almost here and I am thinking of all of you - family and friends. I wish you all the happiest and most joyous of days tomorrow and right through the New Year into 2013.
Window decorations
Right before Thanksgiving Wesley and I traced our hands and turned them into colored-paper turkeys which we taped to the kitchen windows. He had done them at home (Stephanie was much more creative - she added legs and beaks in different colors - the Martha Stewart of turkey production!) and wanted to do them at my house as well. Last week I suggested we replace the turkeys with snow flakes. He was delighted. He is quite good with scissors (well, for a 3-year old) and we cut and snipped away. He taped all our creations to the window adjacent to the turkeys which he insisted must stay as well. We have, therefore, quite a seasonal display.
But then he asked to add something special. I wondered which Christmas addition - Santa? Stars? Trees? No, he wanted to add rocket ships. Of course. I drew a primitive one and then he told me who to put in the windows as passengers - Daddy, Mommy, Greg (visiting right now), Gramma, Grampa Tom (Dan's father), Wesley and in little windows above and below him, Matilda (his dog) and Divet and Newton (his cats). I was happy to oblige.
So, if you are driving down SE 21st Avenue, look for the kitchen window with snowflakes, turkeys AND rocket ships.
Advent Calendar
I gave the Advent Calendar Christmas Tree I made when the children were young to Stephanie so Wesley happily adds a decoration to it each day. At my house I have a Noah's Ark Advent Calendar that Wesley played with last year. To him it was just a toy - I didn't try to use it to mark the march of days toward Christmas. This year, when I pulled it out, I wondered if he would remember it (nope, to him it was brand new) and if he would want to use it as a calendar. Again, nope - it was an interesting toy with lots of possibilities, none of which included a calendar.
Here it is as a possible calendar - one animal added for each day.
I told him the basic outline of Noah and the Ark. He liked the part about the animals marching on board two-by-two. He asked me to make a sign for the ark - can you read it?
It says Must have buddy to get on Ark
And so the play began. He would hide an animal (so that the buddy couldn't go on board), find it, put it in another "boat" (the basket that holds the TV remotes) and sail it over to the ark where the buddies were reunited. They could then go on board together.
Can you see the "boat" on the floor to the right? The monkey, lion and dove are inside the basket waiting to be reunited with their buddies on the Ark's deck.
Later he decided that having a buddy wasn't enough. The animals must have tickets as well (this from a child who has already flown umpteen times so knows his boarding passes). We attached stickers to all the animals.
Yep, they are legitimate passengers - their stickers show they have the proper credentials. The elephant has a fairy, the lion a snake and the hippo a blue ribbon. Of course.
Close up of one side, buddies hanging off the side.
This is an equal opportunity Ark - both sides can be used at once when peeing overboard.
Nativity Scene
The one I have is tiny - it was all we could afford when we were young parents and, of course, now I wouldn't think of changing it because of all the memories associated with it. I am a history teacher and I liked to place the nativity in an historic setting so I started Mary, Joseph and the donkey across the room and each day Stephanie and Lee would move them a bit forward until, on Dec 24th, they made it to the manger. I started the kings several rooms away - after all, they came from much farther away.
When he is over next we will have to review other possible options for Joseph's location. For the time being the shepherd is sitting in for Joseph. I moved the kings into the photo - they are still in the kitchen, slowly working their way toward Bethleham, but wanted them to have their 5 minutes of fame in the photo.
Each figure is 1- 2 inches tall.
Cookies
Wesley and I made a set of cookies and had the usual experience - more frosting on his face and hands than made it onto the cookies. Much fun. I am missing Stephanie's girl friends from Carmel High. For years they came over today (Christmas Eve) to decorate cookies. As they grew older I loved listening to their chatter as they caught up with each other's lives while creating interesting frosting colors for cookies that became more sophisticated in their design. They had favorite cookie cutters and brought more to add to my collection. What good memories.
So Christmas 2012 is almost here and I am thinking of all of you - family and friends. I wish you all the happiest and most joyous of days tomorrow and right through the New Year into 2013.
Donna, I finally had a chance to sit down and enjoy your blog, and what a joy it is! I made it back through the end of fall, leaving a gap to catch another day. I admire your focus and dedication, doing this fascinating chronicle.
ReplyDeleteRegarding your most recent entries, though, I have to say that you have outdone me... I thought I was the 'World's Best Grammy' (I've been told as much), but, reading your experience here, I'm ready to sign up: I want YOU to be MY Grammy! You've inspired me to reach beyond my normal level of creative play. Thank you... your shared experience is a true gift.