Future Engineer

Quinn is exhibiting some really strong visual-spatial and strategic planning skills.  I know this, because I lose to him in games that I'm really TRYING not to.  My best adult efforts are no match for him in Blokus and CHESS.  Truly.  He is exceptionally good at both.   Not "good for a six year old boy" good.  He's just plain GOOD.  In my defense, I DID win at chess last night, but not before I lost a good chunk of my side of the board.  It was  a very close game.  He hasn't won Dad yet in chess, but he's come close.  Enough to make his Dad grumble under his breath.  Which is pretty dang impressive for a six year old.

Overheard

The boys celebrated their father's birthday by joining him at a waterpark last night.  That left Reagan and I to hold down the fort here.  I spent the time cleaning their bedroom and the guest room upstairs.  It took FOREVER.  Ridiculously long.  I got this response, though, when the men folk returned....

Colby: "OH WOW!  Quinn, come up here!  It's IMMACULATE!  It's all clean and shiny up here!" 

I didn't even know that he KNEW the word immaculate.  It's nice that my efforts were appreciated.  Let's hope they were appreciated enough that things stay clean for more than 30 minutes or so.  I have my serious doubts about that. 

Little Girls Love Their Brothers

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Originally uploaded by mamaaho

Reagan ADORES her big brothers.

One Of the Most Beautiful Things to come Out of My Son's Mouth

I was standing just a few feet away, when I heard Quinn ask his father this...

Quinn: "Dad, what's for breakfast?"

OHHHH, blessed boy!!!   I asked him to say it again.  And again.  And again.  No "Mom Mom Mom Mom I'm HUUUUNNNNGGGGRRRRYYY." 

It's a good day.

To Be Four Feet Tall

Rob is taking the boys to a water park next week.  The "big slide" has a height requirement of 48", and after measuring the boys today, it was determined that they are half an inch short.  Colby decided that this wasn't a problem - he would find a way to grow half an inch in 7 days.  Here's his solution.

Colby:  "Dad, I'm going to cover my mouth and blow really hard, and it will puff my head up".

Ah.  Like a balloon.  Good plan, Colby Man.  Good plan. 

Secret Letters

Found Quinn typing this message to his friend at school...

"You have a missdree to figr hoo am I . FINE THE NEXT CLUE . IT WILL BE SUMWAIR BY THE SLIDE. YOU WILL NEVR NO HOO AM I. AND FOLOE THE LINE ON THE GROWN.


THE NEXT CLUE WILL TACK ONE STEP. TO FIGRING HOO AM I. "


:)

Nighttime Prayers

Both boys, for some reason, are truly afraid of their bedroom.  They both have claimed adamantly that a "dark man" comes into the room sometimes at night to read their books on the bookshelf.  When I suggested that this might be Daddy coming in to give them a kiss goodnight, they said "Does Daddy walk through WALLS, Mom?!?!?!"  Ok.  Maybe not.  But this fear has been going on since they were able to talk.  Literally since they were about two or so.  It used to be that their stuffed kangaroo and Raggedy Ann and Andy came to life in the playroom.  Now it's a "dark man" reading their books.   No matter how hard I assure them that those sounds they hear at night are most likely the creaks and squeaks associated with a hundred year old house swaying in the wind, or squirrels and mice in the walls, they are not convinced.

The GOOD part of all this paranoia, though, is that both boys are ADAMANT about saying their night-time prayers.  If I forget, they are quick to remind me.  Quinn asks me... every night.... to say the Guardian Angel prayer and make the sign of the cross on his forehead, to protect him through the night.  Tonight, he told me a little secret.

"Mom, when you're at work and not here to put me to bed, I say the prayer myself, and make that Jesus thing on my head all by myself."

I don't know why this touched me so much, but it really did.  It may border on the superstitious, but it warms my heart to know that my boys rely on prayer to comfort them when they are scared.  That they "get it" at so young an age.  God bless you, little men.