Math Hate Continues...

So, yesterday in science we discussed the central nervous system and man's ability to reason. We talked about how this higher cognitive ability makes us different from any other animal. We made a list of things man can do that other animals cannot, such as talk, sing, write, read, ride a bicycle, do math....

As soon as we said "do math," Sarabeth yelled: "I wanna be an animal!"

More Creations by Christopher...

In school, we just read "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." After Huckleberry Finn, Christopher busied himself with paper and scissors and tape. I was really annoyed, until he showed me what he had made: Huckleberry's Mississippi River raft!

Babysitting

Should I be concerned when I come home to find the babysitter in handcuffs?

Spelling Options

After reading over a story Sarabeth had written, I took a moment to talk with her about some spelling issues. "Remember," I explained, "words like beautiful and powerful only have one 'L' at the end."

Her response: "Well, I'm a two-L person."

Anticipation!

Christopher has been waiting years to play on a baseball team, and this spring he is finally getting his wish. His very first baseball practice was Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. He was dressed and ready to go by 10:00 a.m., and he asked me every 17 to 23 minutes for the whole day: "How much longer 'til my baseball practice?" Bless his heart....

Ingenuity

Another Christopher creation:

His prince/manly man seriously needed a bow and some arrows. Mommy didn't know of any bows or arrows available in this size range, so Christopher just made them. Ink pen, rubber band, and tape... Voila! A bow! Scrap paper and tape... a quiver with a shoulder strap. Some crayons with notches sliced into their bottoms... perfect arrows. (Conveniently, they already had their pointy tips.)

Interestingly, this bow and arrow creation really works. I've been hit with a number of crayons lately.

Mental Block

Sarabeth hates math. She does quite well in math, but she hates it. Despises it. Is devastated by it. Traumatized by it. Becomes melodramatic and hysterical about it. Yesterday...

Sarabeth, wailing: "I don't understand math. I hate math! When it comes to math, my brain is the size of a pomegranate seed!"

Sarabeth, writing in her journal
about how much she hates math.

Anniversary Celebration

Chet and I got married twenty years ago today: April 17, 1993.

This afternoon, Sarabeth and Christopher asked me for some of my wedding pictures. I printed some color copies for them, and they scurried off to work on some secret project. Later, they invited me into Sarabeth's room. They had made anniversary cards for us, decorated Sarabeth's room with all the festive accessories from their dress-up box, and created an anniversary "party" for us. Barbie was wearing her wedding dress; Ken was in his tuxedo. All the other Barbies were cheering for us. What a treat to be celebrated by our children!

 

The Facts

Five-year-old Christopher, during major road construction near our house:
"I really hate that noise, but that's part of life."

Wisely said... by the boy who single-handedly makes enough noise for a houseful of children.

Doing Battle!

During a reading lesson, six-year-old Christopher said a particular word was hard. I told him he could conquer it. With excitement, he replied: "That reminds me of how the Greeks conquered the Trojans and the Persians!"

Exactly.

Body Parts

Christopher often plays roughly with Lexi, and she gives it right back to him... and -- surprise, surprise -- he doesn't like it. He was recently complaining that Lexi was biting his hands and feet. Sarabeth told him: "She's just mouthing you because she's a Golden Retriever."

"Well," Christopher replied, "she's trying to retrieve my arm!"

Family History

Christopher: "I sleep in the bed Mommy slept in when she was little, so that means we're related."

Sarabeth: "Oh, Christopher, Mommy had us both out of her womb!"

If Wishes Were Horses...

Sarabeth got really upset today when I told her the man in front of me at the post office was mailing one-day-old chicks.

"They're baby animals!" she shouted. "They shouldn't be mailed. They should be driven! That man should have a chicken-driving car. Mailing chickens should not be allowed! I would never... Oh, if only I could run the world!"

Sweet Blessings

Six-year-old Sarabeth wore jeans to church one Sunday evening. Someone gave her candy, and she was thrilled to be able to put it in her pocket and carry it around herself. At home later, she explained: "God knew this and planned it. I think this was a gift from the Lord that I had my jeans on, so I could put my candy in my pocket!"

Menace at the Wheel

Three-year-old Christopher loved riding toys; he loved "driving" things. He was especially enthralled with "Gators," the little green John Deere riding toys -- or the larger utility versions for adults. At a friend's house one day, he was allowed to sit in the driver's seat of their Gator. Unable to contain his excitement, he quickly turned it on and drove away before I could stop him. Just as a note, a driver with no training or instructions (and no fear!) is a dangerous person. As I tried to get Christopher to stop, he literally ran me over with the Gator. Knocked me down, knocked my shoes off, hurt me. Ugh! When I fussed at him later, privately, he said, "Me driving; you should get out of the way."

I guess it could have been worse....

That Kind of Girl

Three-year-old Sarabeth called me urgently to her room, to deal with a minuscule, almost invisible insect. "I'm the kind of girl who doesn't like bugs in her room," she explained.

Random Question

Christopher: "Mommy, what does "kindling" mean?"

Mommy: "Kindling?"

Christopher: "Yes, like anger 'kindling' in your heart."

Huh?

A Very (Strange) Veggie Easter Story

So, Christopher was asking Sarabeth what it would be like if "Bob the Tomato" from Veggie Tales played Jesus on the cross... and Sarabeth drew it out for him, complete with a grape tomato with a small ink-drawn crown of thorns at the top, and Teddy Grahams portraying the thief and murderer on either side. Strange, but true.

First Pair of High Heels

Where, oh, where, has my little girl gone? She's been dreaming of her very own high heels for so long, and now it begins. A new pair, a perfect fit, a must-have for my little self-proclaimed fashionista. Can you see her  joy? Can you sense her pride? Oh, my goodness, she looks so grown up.