Easter Break

One Step Closer

Creativity

Lots of creative endeavors in the Higginbotham house these days.  Here's just a few:

I didn't think it was possible for a kid to love markers more than Tess.  Until I met Drew.  Drew spends more time during the day covered in washable marker than he does otherwise.  And he's consumed enough marker ink that it's actually become a staple of his diet.  He has this sixth sense that allows him to hone in on the location of a marker from anywhere in a room.  Considering how much Tess uses markers, there usually is one to be found.

Drew's equally enthusiastic about paints.  This kid has the longest attention span when it comes to painting. He'll honestly paint for 30 minutes in this entranced state. 

Tess working on one of her creative projects to turn a box into a dollhouse.  She decorated the box with paint, then we cut out windows and doors.  Then she filled the box with her dollhouse furniture and gave her dolls the grand tour.

Another painting session with Drew.   (We do this a lot).

Mornings always afford Tess a new creative opportunity in deciding what to wear for the day.  Usually I let her pick and then try to find a bow for her hair that ties her creative outfit together.  Or I just wait for her to pee her pants so I can pick out a new outfit for her.  

This morning, Tess' wardrobe selection reached new creative heights.  

Two new rules for getting dressed:

1.  You can only wear one pair of underwear.

2.  You must wear something besides just underwear.

This is a clip of Drew's latest creative adventure.  Drew has been learning to go down the slide at the park.  When he saw Tess' booster seat in the living room, it gave him a great idea.  He climbed on up and slid off the end as if it were a slide.  He did this again and again until I decided to up the ante and put the seat on top of a cushion to make a bigger "slide."  Thrilling!

Drew's creative mind has been taking things in a like a sponge the past couple weeks.  All of a sudden he seems to understand so much and is making more attempts to communicate.  It may be hard to spot for the untrained eye, but in this clip he's trying to do the sign for "baby" (like you're rocking a baby in your arms) and blowing kisses.

He loves pointing to the picture of baby Owen on our fridge.  When I let him hold it, he gave Owen big slobbery kiss.  Now our photo of Owen is ringed with pea baby food.  I have a feeling all these little boys are going to be good friends.

March 2012 Tidbits

Saturday night's family dinner was at the ice cream shop.  On the way home Tess asked, "What's for dessert?"

Today while we were driving Tess saw a sign for a garage sale.  "Mom, can we get one of those?  Our car is tired of being outside."

This morning Tess showed me her favorite way of taking off her soggy nighttime diaper:  undo one tab and shake your bum until it slides off.  "I like it cuz it kind of like a hula hoop."

"Mom, I just learned that if you go to abcmouse.com, it makes kids' eyes light up!" Thanks, PBS Kids Sprout.

Drew has been making a new face to try and make me laugh. He smiles really wides, holds out his fists and clenches his teeth together until his whole body shakes. So strange, but it does make me laugh. (MMH)

Tess asked me what is inside my "brefs," so I explained to her that breasts contain milk ducts that make milk for new babies. She was totally incredulous: "You have ducks inside that make milk??!!" (MMH)

"Mom, how you write: Food for sale, 2 cents; coloring books, 1 cent?"

"Mom, how you write: Come to Tess' Tutu/Dress show?"

"Mom, how you write: Rock and Roll Music Band show?"

At church exercise class this morning, Tess was teaching an exercise class of her own. She had all the little girls doing push ups, running laps and doing jumping exercises. Too cute! (MMH)

Ryan was admiring a drawing Tess made of a little girl. Tess explained to him: "Her shirt is made in China and her pants are made in Egypt." (MMH)

Tess was talking to me about pets. "Mom, a hamster would be a good pet. Wanna get a hamster?" I declined, explaining that hamster can be kind of stinky pets. "It OK Mom. We can get agirl hamster and then it won't be stinky. It can have bows." (MMH)

Drew has yet a new way to demonstrate that he's ignoring me. If I tell him "no," or ask him to "come to Mama," he sticks out his lower lip and blows out to make a rude noise. He thinks he's very funny. (MMH)

Drew finally started saying Tess' name and he's been saying it over and over again all day. "Tess, Tess, Tess, Tess!" So cute! (MMH)

"Mom, can you get me one, two, three, four pieces of tape? I need a tape store please." (What Tess asks when she wants to hang one of her drawings on the wall. I love how she counts the corners every time.) (MMH)

Tess getting ready for bed: "Ahhh. My diaper is so warm and cozy cuz I just peed in it." (MMH)

Tess asked me about the rows of chairs set up in the chapel overflow. "Mom, who put those chairs there? Was it Jesus?" (MMH)

When Tess grows up she wants to be a farmer, a store owner, and a mommy. "I'll do all those things and then I'll be a teenager. (MMH)

"Mom, don't worry. It will be a long time 'afore I'm 10 years old." (MMH)

Tess was out with Ryan when they drove by IHOP. Ryan explained that restaurant serves pancakes for dinner. Tess' response: "Yeah, I saw a commercial that says, 'Make it an IHOP day!'" (MMH)

While reading about the planet Pluto with Tess tonight, I told her that the planet was very cold, dropping to -380 degrees F. She responded, "You need to go inside and drink hot, hot, hot chocolate with big marshmallows!" (RKH)

With three new baby boy cousins in the past couple weeks, Tess and I have been imagining the fun that cousins camp will bring. She'll comment: "Oh! 5 baby boys on a hammock!!!" Then she laughs, throws up her hands and rolls her eyes exasperated at the thought. "5 baby boys in the sprinkler!!!' "5 baby boys on the trampoline!!!" "5 baby boys roasting marshmallows!!!" "5 baby boys at the water park!!!" "5 baby boys playing with boats in the pond!!!" Cousins Camp will never be the same!

I've been trying to indoctrinate Drew with Baby Signing Time. (So far he's proved impervious.) Tess' take on the theme song: "Baby, baby, baby, this song gives me a headache!" Funny because Ryan used to sing a similar tune when Tess would watch it on continuous play: "I'm about to lose my mind, Baby Signing Time." (MMH)

Tess was getting frustrated trying to read the cursive script inside a greeting card. "I can't read it! It has too many loop-dee-loops!" (MMH)

Tess was carefully studing a box of girl scout cookies, which was covered with images of enthusiastic girls rock climbing and climbing up rope ladders. Tess concluded: "These cookies give you enough energy for 100 days! You no need to eat food anymore!" (MMH)

"Mom, I going to need some privacy today. I have to do some writing. You know, I was thinking about that while I was sleeping. I was laying there, but my eyes were open and I thought, 'I really have a lot of writing to do.'" (MMH)