When The Rubber Meets The Road

Daniel loves cars. He especially loves OUR cars, and riding in them. Currently we have two cars: Frank (Grampa's Intrepid) and The Queen (our blue minivan).

Both are boy cars, according to Daniel. (Don't try to explain that "The Queen" should be a girl... it's a useless argument and a pure waste of your energy.)

We listen to a lot of music in both cars, but each has a different song selection. And Daniel is becoming a connoisseur of music, declaring (loudly) "I like this song!" every time one of his favorites comes on. Which is about every other songs. Some days, he claims them: "This is my song. I like it."

In related news: We also have dance parties in the car. Frequently.

Often we race getting the kids into their car seats. It's fun for us and keeps the kiddos entertained instead of squirming to get out. No matter who wins, Daniel inevitably solves the conflict: "How 'bout we BOTH won!"

And it seems that being strapped into car seats forces some fun interactions between the kids too - it's harder to be mean when you can't even touch your sister. In car seat mode, Daniel's a little parent to her: He makes her ask nicely for things (which toy she wants to hold). He shares well with her (probably because we are 1.5 feet away and watching). He often holds her hand just for fun or to comfort her.

And my favorite is this: He has begun translating for her. "Mommy, Violet says she wants agua." "Daddy, Violet and I are hungry." "Mommy, Violet wants to get out of her car seat." "Daddy, we love you - Violet and I love you."

I already have so many fond memories of us, as a family of four, in the car together.

Fah-Let & AstroBoy

Our lives lately:

1) Daniel thinks he is Astroboy. And not just in a "let's pretend every now and then" kind of way. He thinks he IS Astroboy. And we're going on week three of this phase.

He only wants to be called Astroboy, or SOMETIMES Toby (Astroboy's human name). His teachers at school and on the weekends have given up trying to convince him otherwise, so all of his art projects and name tags come home with "Astroboy" written on them.

He thinks that all of the buildings we pass are "Metro City" and he continually jumps around and spins because of his "ion blasters". And if he wants you to be evil or good, he'll lift your shirt and change your battery accordingly.

Last week we wanted him to wear some shoes he didn't really want to wear. We succeeded only because we told them they were just like Astroboy's shoes. Now all three pairs of shoes he is currently rotating are also Astroboy's shoes. :) Hey... if the shoe fits.

This photo is from Halloween... he fulfilled his dream and became Astroboy with the help of Daddy's handmade "armor"! He wasn't a fan of the hair gel required to hold his hair up though.

2) Daniel... I mean, Astroboy... has also become QUITE the artist. We used to have to bribe him to even consider coloring with crayons or markers and now he delights in it - for hours at a time, sometimes. He suddenly colors well, too - in the lines, solid patches, etc. It makes me wish I could include color photography in this blog!

Currently everything is colored with every possible color in order to make it "beautiful". Thanks to a story that Daddy made up for Daniel about how the Macaw got its colors, unless an item has two or more colors, it is not beautiful.

3) He and Violet are learning the finer details in the negotiation of rough-play. Subtleties too quick and discreet for Mom & Dad to notice. They are becoming skilled siblings.

4) Daniel has a unique way of saying her name - he leaves the "V" off completely. "Fah-let!!" We have tried to correct it, but it's just the way it is right now. He is usually yelling her name too - either to come play with him, or to stop doing something. FAH LET!

Life is fun. :)

Multigenerational Toys

There's just something special about watching your kids play with your childhood toys. It's like time stopped for a second, and you feel like a child and a mother in the same moment.

During our Summer trip to Texas, Daniel spent the majority of his indoor time playing with my Care Bear collection and an old color/shape/key puzzle. It was so sweet to watch.

I guess there's something to be said for toys that last that long, that well. And for parents (thanks Mom!) who care enough to keep their kids' toys for their grandkids to use.

Daniel and the Bean Stalk

Turns out Daniel might have a green thumb.

This would be a miracle, given the absolute lack of a green thumb in either one of his parents.

His teacher recently said that Daniel has been extremely interested in the gardening project they are doing in their preschool classroom. They have been planting pinto beans and watching them sprout, observing their growth each day. She gave Daniel a magnifying glass and he spent at least 20 minutes just analyzing the little sprouts.

At the end of the assignment, she had some extra plants, so they came home with Daniel.

I will admit: Fear struck my heart as soon as I heard this. No plant stands a chance in our home. This was destined for disaster.

And the plants DID die. But it took a while. And Daniel seemed ok with the whole "say bye-bye to the plants" bit. But before the inevitable end, they grew well and Daniel loved waking up every morning and "checking on" them and giving them water.

It's fun to see new interests and hobbies springing up in him... I just hope this is a passing phase. It would never work in our home.

Big Brother Extraordinaire

No seriously, he IS the best big brother ever. Which doesn't mean that he doesn't occasionally hit/push/trip/and otherwise irritate his sister. I think that's a perfectly normal (and even necessary) part of being a brother.

The part that blows me away is how she is ALWAYS on his mind. When I pick him up from daycare he immediately runs to her, "Violet! It's my sister!" and procedes to re-introduce his friends/teachers/sometimes parents to his little sister.

And recently he's kind of assumed the role of "Violet thought translator to the parents". For example: If he is asking to color a picture of an animal, he tells us, "I want to color an elephant and Violet wants to color a donkey." (Granted, hers is always the less-cool of the animals... but still.) Or if she is crying, he will tell us that she needs her agua or a snack.

One of my favorite times of day is after dinner when Fernando and I are cleaning up, Daniel and Violet will usually disappear into one of their rooms, playing contentedly. He reads her books. He shows her his toys. He loves to make her laugh. He wrestles and tickles her (often to a "break it up!" place).

My favorite is when he chases her around the house, throws himself on his knees and throws his arms open, "Violet! Nay! Give me hug, Violet!" ("Nay" means "come here" in Ahmaric.) Half the time she obliges, and half the time he gets the shaft... but it is still sweet to see his efforts.

He really, truly loves her.

Elephant Night

The first of many family fun nights (henceforth known as Fam Jams!)... we celebrated "Elephant Night" tonight.

I think it was international elephant day or something... but for whatever reason we just decided to have a fun elephant-themed evening.

We ate elephant food. We played elephant games. We stomped in chalk elephant foot prints. We sprayed each other with our trunks (straws) at the watering hole (tupperware full of water). We played with all of our elephant toys. We all wore elephant colors = gray. We tried to watch Horton Hears a Hoo... but the disc didn't work. Elephant night ended a little early.

BUT it was so much fun!

Captain Carnivore

My sweet little man has a soft spot for animals. Case in point: He thinks tigers eat grass, because he refuses to believe that they'd eat zebra. You see my point.

The other day we were reading an alphabet book. He said to me, "Mommy - what do owls eat?"

Always one for honesty, I decided to bite the bullet. "Daniel, sweetie, owls eat mice."

He thought for a minute and decided against in. "No Mommy, that's yucky. They eat grass."

After another minute of thinking, he turned to me again. "Mommy, what ELSE do owls eat?"

I said, "Daniel, owls eat bunnies."

D: "Like big rabbits?"

M: "No honey... owls like to eat little, tiny, soft bunnies." (I was hoping for shock value to send him back to the "owls eat grass" line of logic. No such luck...)

D: "Okay. I will be the mommy owl and you'll be the baby owl. I'll bring you a bunny to eat."

What?! This had totally backfired on me. He ran across the room, scooped up an imaginary baby bunny, and laid it in front of me to eat. Not entirely sure what to do, I leaned forward and took an imaginary bite.

Daniel completely freaked out. "Mommy!! No!!! Stop!!!! Spit it out!!!!!" I was so relieved that his sensitivity was still in tact. I gratefully spit out my imaginary bite. (After all, I prefer a vegetarian diet even in imagination world.)

Daniel calmed down, still telling me to "Spit it out, Mommy." Then he shocked me with his next line: "I have to CUT IT FIRST." He proceeded to cut the baby bunny into imaginary bites and spoon feed me.

I wasn't sure whether to laugh, cry or vomit... but I think I did a little of all three. Hilarious. And tragic. My little carnivore is growing up.

Two days later we were making french toast for breakfast. As Daniel helped me mix the batter, he peered into the mixing bowl and sweetly said, "Little chickies - are we mixing you?!" Lord help us.

Bad Frank

Farm time again! We had a wonderful week on the Farm, playing with cows/dirt/cousins/golf carts and anything else Daniel and Violet could get their hands on. It truly was a great week.

My Grampa (Daniel's great-grampa) can no longer drive his car, so he very kindly sold it to us (at such a low price it was practically GIVING it to us). It passed all the tests at the mechanics, so we flew to Texas one way with the intent of roadtripping back to Arizona in the Dodge - which we decided to name "Frank". (Grampa's name is Franklin.)

So. We loaded up snacks, toys, kids and car seats and headed West.

All went well for the first leg of the trip - overnight. Mid-morning found us an hour out of El Paso and needing a rest stop. We loaded back up and realized... the car wouldn't start. We called AAA (who couldn't find our card number in the system) and then our mechanically-inclined brother-in-law who offered a possible solution. Thankfully, the car started again after about 30 minutes.

We kept trucking across Texas... then New Mexico... then pulled into a gas stop in Tucson, Arizona. We filled up, piled back in and... nothing. Frank decided he wasn't ready to go anywhere.

We shared a chocolate shake and fries at the burger joint across the street (not a bad way to pass another half an hour) and tried that thing again. Success.

Holding our breath, we headed in for the final stretch. Realizing that Frank didn't like coming to a complete stop, we chose an "out of the way'' route to get back home to avoid the stop and go of rush hour in Phoenix. We vowed NOT to turn off the engine and just keep on going no matter what.

Thirty minutes later... in the middle of NO WHERE... Daniel's little voice piped up. "Mommy... I need to go pee-pee." Contemplating our options, we pulled over but kept the motor running. I ran around to his door, helping him... go... on the side of the road. We all hopped back in and... nothing. The motor died. Bad Frank.

This time it was serious. A swarm of flies filled the car as the motor died, crawling all over us - especially the kids. The heat was pushing 110 degrees, and the surrounding desert was barren and hostile. The motorists sped by, not even bothering to stop or even slow down. Best of all... we had no cell phone reception.

We opened the trunk so we'd have shade, and sat in a huddle behind the car (on five layers of clothing to keep our backsides from burning). I beat the kids with clothing to keep the flies off, and attempted to change a really nasty diaper (thanks, Violet) in the middle of sweat, flies and dirt. Fernando paced, looking for reception to make a call.

Panic started to set in as the minutes ticked away. We sang worship songs to Jesus, and thanked Him for the answer we trusted was coming. Daniel called out a prayer - "Jesus - please take the flies away!" And kept telling me that God was going to help us. There is a certain kind of desperation about sitting on the side of a desert highway holding your two babies that just puts things into perspective: You suddenly know exactly who you are and what really matters to you.

That sun was setting fast, and no one was stopping to help us.

I'm not sure how much time passed, but Fernando found a 6 inch square of reception and was able to make a call letting someone know where we were in case we weren't home in a few hours. At the same time, Daniel turned to me and said, "Mommy - the car works now - it's time to go home." I dismissed it the first time as wishful thinking. But then more insistently, Daniel said, "Mommy - the car works. We need to go home."

I flagged Fernando down, who hopped in and sure enough - the car started. We have NEVER moved so fast, flinging kids into the backseat as fast as possible. We took off and didn't look back.

The short version is that we made it home without stopping. But those final 90 minutes of roadtrip were the 90 most stressful minutes we have ever spent together. There was no AC and it was over 110 by this point. All the water was left in the trunk in our hurry, so we had half a bottle to share. All four of us were drenched in sweat and still covered in flies (who didn't leave the car until we got home). I tried to give them snacks, but it only made the flies even more interested in my babies' faces. The kids cried out of discomfort and over-heating and we did everything possible to keep them distracted and entertained. I think I remember something about a boogar-song we made up to keep them laughing.

We prayed like maniacs, outloud and boldly. Daniel, too. For whatever reason, God kept using him to speak to the family. He was the calm voice of reason letting us know the car was working again. He kept telling us Bible stories about Jesus fixing problems - and would recite Jesus' parts: "Be still!!" ... to the storm that would have killed the disciples. We managed to avoid every red light all the way home and coasted into the driveway. As we stopped the car, the tears finally hit and we tried to pull it together long enough to get everyone inside. We stripped the kids out of drenched and filthy clothing, soaked them in the tub, and kept giving them a salt/sugar/water mixture to rehydrate.

Frank is working fine now. Turns out he had never made a long trip and can't handle the pressure on the engine. He's fine as a city car... but he won't be taken past state lines again.

As dramatic and awful as that evening was, it brought us closer together. I will never forget the desperation, but also the peace. God's hand was on us - our identity as a family is in Him. Even when it feels scary, He is in control and knows what we need.

And together as a family, we will praise Him!

Even in the midst of flies, sweat and dirt. ESPECIALLY in the midst of flies, sweat and dirt.

The B-I-B-L-E

For Christian parents, there are few things as sweet as watching your child learn about God. Daniel has been memorizing verses at church for a while and learning to understand the basic concepts – Jesus is with me when I’m scared… God made me… Jesus loves me… etc.

But we have turned a new literal and metaphorical page in Daniel’s walk with God: He has developed a passion for the Bible. After graduating to a cool toddler Bible (with awesome illustrations involving crazy hair and big muscles) he simply can’t get enough.

For at least a few weeks, he has refused all other books at bedtime – he just wants the Bible. (And when it’s “lights out” time he gets upset – “But Mommy, I just want to read the Bible!” Talk about hard to say no to!) He wants to act out stories constantly and he assigns us roles. Daddy makes an excellent Goliath and wall of Jericho, and I particularly like being the angel that saves Daniel in the lion’s den. Violet is occasionally cast as a lion, which is somewhat fitting given the biting.

His sensitivity to the content is impressive. His eyes flooded with tears the first time we read “The Good Samaritan” and he couldn’t understand why people would hurt someone for no reason.

Today at naptime, I read him the story of Jesus’ death for the first time. He has been asking for it for weeks, but I was too afraid of causing nightmares. Plus, he doesn’t really grasp the concept of death yet. But I gave in, and today we read it. He listened with wide eyes, and careful attention to the painful expressions on Jesus face. He just kept asking me, “Why?” and it was all I could do to not lose it. My heart soared as I read the words of the gospel message to my son – that stone was rolled away. After we were done, I laid with him in his bed for naptime. I asked him if he remembered the story we read today. He said yes. I asked him to tell me about it to see what he retained.

Me: “What happened in the story?”

Daniel: “Jesus prayed to God.”

Me: “Then what?”

Daniel: “Mean guys.”

Me: “Then what?”

Daniel: “Ouchies.”

Me: “Then what?”

Daniel: “They go away.”

Me: “Then what?”

Dnaiel: “Cave.”

Me: “Then what?”

Daniel: Big rock.

Me: “Then what?”

Daniel: Another big rock.

Me: “Then what?”

Daniel “Umm… I dunno.”

Me: Do you remember the angel?

Daniel: “Yes.”

Me: “What happened next?”

Daniel: “Jesus body is gone.”

Me: “That’s right, Daniel.”

Daniel: “He came back alive!”

It was one of the most precious and tender moments we have shared. That feeling of sharing the most important thing in the world with your child, and watching him start to understand.

THIS is the whole point of parenting. Forget teaching manners and hygiene – if we can teach him this, we’ll have done our jobs. My heart has never been happier.

SAHM Wannabe

Daniel has been in full-time preschool from the time he was 7-weeks old. Both Fernando and I had to work to make ends meet, and the preschool at our church (and place of employment) was and is a wonderful environment. Christian teachers and curriculum, bright colors, structured days, creative outlets, online video monitoring, and so much more. And honestly, with a few exceptions, I didn’t have a strong desire for life to be any other way. Daniel loved his teachers, formed true friendships that are still intact, and Fernando and I were able to be a part of a fun ministry team doing jobs that have been challenging and fulfilling. It was the right thing for our family.

But something new has surfaced in me: A desire to be at home, all the time. It started when Violet came home. And at first I thought it had to do with her, and wanting to be home more for her during her attachment period. But the more I dug, the more I realized it actually had to do with me.

Like he tends to do, God has been changing me. Softening my preconceptions of what the gender roles in my marriage and my home would be like. Yes, I still think husbands and wives are equal and shouldn’t be bound to what our culture tells them their roles should be. I believe this with all my heart.

But I cannot ignore the piece of me that desires (more strongly than I ever imagined) a new role in my family. One that I had previous looked down on.

So here’s my confession of the “I wants” of right now.

At some point in my life, I want to stay home with my kids. I want to be their primary nurturer. I want to be in charge of forming their character and minds. I want to be selfish with every minute of their days – with each memory. I want to be in charge of our meals, lovingly and creatively feeding our bodies exactly what I know they need. I want to run our home. I want to elevate it to a level of cleanliness and organization that just hasn’t been possible so far. I want to greet my husband at the door each evening with a smile, a hug, two clean and happy kiddos, and dinner cooking on the stove.

But that’s not all. I still want to work – but in a different way. I want to grow my photography business. Take on more sessions than I have been able to with a full-time job. Expand my equipment collection and try new things. I want to contribute to the family income through this avenue in a very real way.

So this is my "someday" dream. Can we do it now? No. The numbers don’t add up, financially. And honestly, I'm not ready to leave my full-time job. But do I believe that it’s something God has for my family in the future? Yes. Absolutely. So, we’ll make a plan. We’ll work hard and dedicate ourselves to being the best stewards of our resources that we can be.

And maybe in a few years, I will be there with Daniel comes home from Kindergarten or first grade, full of playground stories and a backpack full of homework. I will be there, ready to greet him with a hug, his favorite snack and my undivided attention. Because that’s the most important role of all.

End of Swimming Classes

Daniel’s swimming lessons finally ended, after six weeks of daily trips to see Ms. Tammy.

He “tested out” during the last week. During the test week, the instructor flips the student over into the water in a series of different ways designed to simulate the disorientation a kid would feel if they fell into a pool. In each situation, Daniel entered the water, calmly floated motionless while looking around for a solution, then made his way to an exit or a person. It was amazing (and so encouraging) to watch.



Test day one was in regular swimwear. Test day two was in summer clothes – T-shirt, shorts and sandals. Test day three was in pajamas. Test day four was in full winter clothing – Jeans, T-shirt, socks, sneakers, and a sweatshirt. Test day five was one more “parents in the pool” day and we were taught a few more tips on how to keep him learning throughout the rest of the swim season.

If I haven’t said it enough already, I LOVE this swimming technique for young kids. I recommend it to every parent. It has escalated Daniel’s confidence in and out of the water and allowed me to (finally) relax when we’re near a pool. He jumps in at the deep end and swims to an exit. If he is suddenly in too deep, he rolls to his back and rests for a minute to get his bearings. It’s ridiculously cool.

The past few days we have spent lots of time swimming at friends’ pools and have enjoyed every minute. No stress or fear – for him or us.

In a lot of ways, Daniel grew up over these past six weeks. It’s been fun and bittersweet to watch his body change and lengthen, his muscles achieve more definition, and his face continue to thin out. The confidence and pride in his accomplishments only makes him seem even older.

Way to go, little man. We’re proud of you!

As a side note... nearly a month later... we went swimming at Daniel's Mema & Papa's pool. To see how well he had retained the technique, we pushed him in the deep end. He fell in head over heels and upside down. Once in, he paused underwater... checked his surroundings... then swam like a machine across the pool to the nearest exit. He was calm and poised... his technique was PERFECT and we have NEVER seen him swim that efficiently. WHOO HOO!

Adventures in Dentistry

Well, he survived his first visit to the dreaded dentist chair.

He was apprehensive (what kid isn’t when they see all that machinery?) but our dentist is a soft-spoken, sweet woman who chatted with Daniel until he was truly interested in counting his teeth with her. (He has twenty, in case you wondered).

Into the chair he went, and his eyes stayed glued to the hand held mirror they gave him to watch what they were doing. They managed to get digital x-rays, poke around a little in his mouth and even do a quick cleaning. No cavities (which is actually a big relief.He has his TK’s teeth exactly and hers are very cavity-prone!) but they did find a few dark spots in the back that we’ll need to brush extra well.

Violet didn’t have an actual appointment but was happy to let the dentist poke around in her mouth too, after watching Daniel do it.(Funny how that works.She's late on a few teeth, but the ones that are in look good.

Anyway, three cheers for fun at the dentist. :)

What's Gonna Work? Teamwork!

Daniel's latest favorite show is Wonderpets - he loves the concept of animals rescuing other animals and we love the undercurrent of classical music and non-irritating jingles.

Today we got a little creative (and destructive). We busted out the glue gun and raided the house for anything we could use to create our very own Fly Boat - the contraption the wonder pets use to fly out of their cages and off to the rescue. We found an old metal tub, construction paper, flat beads, markers, wooden dowels, and some knit items from Violet's drawers. (Sorry, sweetie.)

The final product is rough, to say the least, and required at least one stick of hot glue, one washcloth and one red bib to give their lives to the project. But Daniel's pretty happy with it, especially the fact that the pets have their own little red capes (thank you red bib). As soon as we were done, he zoomed his new Fly Boat off in search of animals to rescue.

And my favorite part of the whole project was gluing the wheels on the tub... Daniel held the hot glue gun while I held his hand, guiding the glue. He spontaneously broke out into the theme song: "What's gonna work? Teamwork!" Precious.

(And yes, that's the same turtle we used for our little oil spill experiment. Poor guy has been through a lot this month.)

Same Sex Parenting

No, this post isn't about parents of the same gender.

It's about the way parents parent different genders differently. (Say that ten times fast.) And honestly, before now, it's something I hadn't really given any serious thought towards.

Before having kids, you consistently hear general statements like "Oh, there's nothing more tender than the bond between a mother and her son" or "Fathers just can't say no to their sweet little daughters". At the time, I just dismissed them as stereotypes to be ignored.

But lately I have started noticing some patterns in our home. And as much as I loathe fitting stereotypes, the patterns align as follows: Fernando and I both are stricter with the kid of the same gender. The old sayings appear to be at least partially true.

Try this on for size: My theory is that it's easier to afford grace to someone you don't entirely understand - it's easier to overlook manipulation and testing when you aren't 100% sure if that's what it really is.

We both love both kids beyond comprehension - with our entire hearts - past what we thought possible. But the fact remains: Men understand how boys think and women understand how girls think. With the kids of the same gender, we have higher expectations based on what we understand.

For example. I'm more likely to give Daniel that 20th hug goodnight when he comes out of his room (again) saying that he's scared (again) - and Fernando is more likely to be tough with him, knowing that he's playing me like a shiny new fiddle. But Daddy's more likely to pick Violet up and comfort her when she's throwing a tantrum while I'm more likely to make her tough it out and use her manners no matter how much she's crying.

Yes, I realize that particular example just highlights my inability to choose my battles (I'm working on this). But I hold to my theory: Dad's hold sons to a higher standard than their daughters and vice versa.

I have heard these words come out of my mouth numerous times towards Violet: "That is not how we act, Violet. We are nice ladies." We. Ladies. Likewise, Fernando often explains to Daniel what it means to be a "big boy" and what kind of behavior is required. When Daniel suddenly excelled in swim classes, Fernando felt a stronger and deeper pride than I did. Why? Because dads know that their sons need to acquire a type of learned courage and adventure to become the kind of men God designed them to be. And right or wrong, moms would be fine with their sons clinging to them in the pool for just one more summer.

Now I know this theory has all kind of exceptions and caveats (like genetics, how much time is spent with the kids and how much coffee each parent has consumed that day) but for the most part, it's true. And aside from simply being interesting food for thought, it's actually been helpful to consider as we continually "fine tune" our parenting styles.

Now, if you'll excuse me - my kids need me. Violet is crying and Daniel is standing by her holding a big stick. But I know my sweet little man would never hurt his sister, so she must have grabbed it and hit herself in the head. And ladies do NOT hit themselves in the head with sticks.

Holy Swimmer, Batman!

Today, we got in the pool at Daniel's swim lesson. And Ms. Tammy warned us that kids usually don't do as well with the parentals in the pool. So we were ready for some fairly mediocre swimming.

But Daniel (metaphorically) blew us out of the water. Holy stinking cow.

Ms. Tammy kept saying that he will be a swimmer someday. I think the word "Olympian" came out of her mouth a few times. (And she told Fernando a few times that he should teach these courses - he is apparently a natural!)

Daniel just kicked it into high gear and showed what he's made of. He was proud of himself and was not ready to stop at the end of the lesson.

I was proud, but Fernando was prouder. You should have seen him beaming at his son at the end of that lesson. Priceless.

A Tale of Toys: Toy Story 3

We've been preparing for Toy Story 3 for quite a while. In anticipation of the opening, Fernando bought the first and second movies hoping that Daniel would get to know the characters and be excited for the third movie.

His plan worked.

By the time we hit the theaters for round three of Buzz and Woody, "Buzz and Woody" had become household terms.

The movie itself was fun - a little more intense/scary at parts than I had expected. Had we known, we probably would have waited a bit. But it was a fun experience for the whole family - Violet came too and ate her body weight in popcorn.

But more impactful than the actual movie is the new stage of childhood Daniel slipped into without us really noticing. He entered into that magical little boy world where action figures come alive and movie scenes are recited and acted out.

Daniel: "You wanna be Zurg or Buzz?"

Fernando: "I'll be Buzz today."

Daniel: "Ok." (grabbing the sword he made by linking markers together...) "We meet again Buzz Lightyear... for the last time."

Fernando: "Not today Zurg!"

(shooting sound effects ensue... Buzz gets knocked over...

Daniel: (evil laugh)

Fernando: "You killed my father!"

Daniel: "I AM YOUR FATHER!"

Fernando: "Nooooo!"

So maybe we combined a few scenes. But you get the idea.

Fernando is beyond excited that Daniel has reached this stage. In fact, he has to restrain himself from buying out the "Action figure" aisle at every store he's in. I think he's been waiting for this stage for a while. The little Buzz dude that Daniel "gave Fernando" for Father's Day gets played with hard - every day.

Anyway. This is just another snippet of daily life around here. Buzz just happens to be part of the household now.

Project: Oil Spill

I was recently introduced to a very cool blog of a mom/photographer who educated her young kiddos about the BP oil spill in a way that was age-appropriate, hands on and ultimately even helped the rescue effort. (Blog: www.ashleyannphotography.com/blog - thanks for the link, CB!)

This afternoon, we re-created Ashley's project with great success. Daniel is an animal lover and currently is (very) infatuated with sea animals. He is sensitive, so I was worried about this affecting him too deeply. But his interest in "playing doctor" kicked in as well, and he really got into the project. We just used some of his current favorite toys (two turtles and a shark), a couple plastic food storage containers and whipped up makeshift oil from soy sauce and vegetable oil.

First we talked about where the oil spill was located and as always, he loved looking at the globe. I told him that lots of animals were sick because of dirty water and I was impressed and surprised by his immediate response: "Mommy! I can help them! I can go there and clean the animals! I have an idea - those towels can help us!" I hadn't even launched into our plan of attack for helping the animals. Pretty darn cool, little man.

Next I showed him a few photos and brief video clips of affected animals and the rescue efforts to save them. He responded surprisingly well, staying very serious and focused and continually talking about how the animals are all "so sick and so dirty" and need our help.

Then the fun part... we put our animals in a container of clean water, made our "oil" mix, poured it in, and Daniel actually was upset that his animals were sick now. And even though he just turned three, he actually seemed to grasp the concept that there were REAL turtles who were sick like this.

He picked up each animal, lovingly telling it, "It's ok - I will clean you and you can go back to your Mommy". He scrubbed it with clean water and patted it dry.

We busted out the markers and paper and together drew a thank you card picturing a turtle telling the rescue workers "thank you" (Daniel's idea!). We'll head to the post office on Monday to drop off our package of wash clothes for the Craft Hope project that inspired all of this.

I love that Daniel is at an age where his little brain can wrap around concepts bigger than himself - this opens up a whole new world of projects, causes and fun.

The options are endless - my brain is on overload!

Elephants & Puzzles

Another seemingly small (yet actually very impressive) milestone was reached yesterday: Daniel said the word "Elephant" correctly. After years of "Epetent"... I have to admit I got teary-eyed. His words are crisper and clearer than ever.

With the increase in vocabulary comes the continual (adorable) mis-use of some words. His new favorite words to "just throw in there" are: Maybe, Just, But, Because, Kind of, Almost, Like, So, Sure. For example. "I want to watch Dora... she's kind of just my favorite."

He also says in a perfect little sing-song voice, "I no think so!" when he doesn't want to do what you've asked. (It's almost cute enough not to get him in trouble for saying "no" to us. Almost.)

In other news, he has officially done his first real jigsaw puzzles - and loved them. We have two for him: a zebra and a car. They are pretty tough but he loves the challenge, and I love helping him. It's a family tradition on my side and it's beyond fun to watch it developing into yet another generation.

The Summer days are passing too quickly. We are squeezing in every possible minute of water fun, play and family time before we blink and it's gone. My eyeballs are starting to hurt from NOT blinking. (I can try, right?!)