"That makes me nervous, Peter." "Why?" "I worry you will fall." "I won't. I'm fine." "Okay." I don't see how it can be comfortable, but he sat that way for the whole movie and he was fine and he did not fall. For bonus points, can you tell what movie he is watching?
Today the boys and I were in the car when Candle in the Wind came on the radio. Peter started asking me questions about the lyrics and we discussed candles and flames and wind. Then he asked me what a legend is...ie. "Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did." I told him that to answer that he had to understand something special about the song - that even though the singer was talking about candles, that the song was actually about someone who had died. "Who," he asked. A woman named Norma, who everyone called Marilyn, who died when Nana and Papa were still kids. Out of curiosity, I asked Peter if he could think of why the singer was saying candle in the wind when he meant Marilyn dying? How were those two things the same? Peter had an answer right away, "First they are there and then they are gone." So I told him that a legend is a story we tell about someone after they die. And the singer was saying that even though Marilyn had died, people would still be telling stories about her for a long time. Without missing a beat, Peter said, "Like this song! This song is a legend about her." Exactly, kiddo, well reasoned.
Yesterday evening we went on a nature hike on a local trail. It was 90ish degrees out, so I chose this wooded location hoping to mitigate the oppressive heat. It felt much cooler (and, unfortunately, buggier) along the shaded trail which runs over and betwixt a number of small streams.
Elliot was very unhappy that first I would not let him traipse into the woods to investigate a large wasp nest and then I also did not let him follow a snake into the tick and poison ivy infested underbrush. I am no fun whatsoever!!
Spencer is nearly a month old, our helper guests have all gone home and preschool will be starting in less than two weeks - it is time for things to get back to normal around here and that means a predictable routine. 5am - I get up and feed Spencer. He barely even opens his eyes for this feeding. Once he is back down I am free to shower and start my day. 6am - I eat breakfast, start laundry, empty the dishwasher and get the boys' breakfast ready. 7am - The big boys get up, get dressed, do chores and report to their chairs at the table. 7:30 - Breakfast while watching a Spanish video. I feed Spencer. Peter said he HATED the show. It was TOO SCARY!! Of course. Those public broadcasting, Muppets-teach-basic-Spanish-vocab shows are notoriously "scary".
The boy doth protest too much, methinks.
8am - Breakfast is over, time to wash hands and face and brush teeth. Spencer has independent play for a few minutes until he gets tired.
8:15 - Learning Time (or leave for preschool when that starts)
9am - Room Time while Spencer finishes his nap and I get some chores done. 10am - Snack and a story 10:30 - Free play while I feed Spencer 11am - Run an errand or go for a walk 12pm - Lunch 1pm - Elliot down for nap 1:30 - Read to Peter while feeding Spencer 2pm - Peter down for nap 3:30 - Big boys wake. Snack time and then we all work on some chores. 4:30 - Daddy comes home and I feed Spencer 5pm - Dinner prep 5:30 - Spencer goes down for a nap while we eat dinner. 6:30 - Big boys get ready for bed while I feed Spencer 7pm - Read to the big boys 7:30 - Big boys in bed 8pm - Finish up chores and get Spencer ready for bed 8:30 - Feed Spencer 9ish - Ideally we all go to sleep. Sometimes it happens, other times Spencer has a hard time settling. 1 or 1:30 am - Middle of the night feeding. 5am - Start all over.
Since Zoo Camp ended just three days before Spencer was born, I never got around to writing about Peter's experience there. He had a great time He did three sessions, each running Monday through Thursday mornings. His sessions were titled Critter Coverings, Fancy Feet and Animals on the Move. Here are some of the crafts he made there...
