Balancing Act

"Mom! Mom! Look! Quick! Look at the broom! Dad said it couldn't do this, but it can! Take a picture, quick!" -Topher, adamant that I document the balancing broom. I want to record this moment because it happened while he was doing his chores, without complaint. Now, that is something to remember.

All the Books

These two pictures popped up in my photo memories today. I was admiring how cute these little guys were when I realized something. This is Cooper at 18 and 19 months old. He's comfortably reading those books that have regular pages. I know we had board books available, but he had definitely been thumbing through standard picture books for some time. 

I chatted with a friend (she has five kids, her oldest is Topher's age) last night who told me that they've kept most of their books packed in boxes so their kids wouldn't destroy them. I don't think it occurred to me to keep books out of my kids' reach. In fact, I'm pretty sure I actively put books in their hands as much as possible. Have books been destroyed over the years? Yes, but mostly from overuse. We've had an occasional tear here and there, but it's generally been from excited page turning.

My purpose in writing about this isn't to say, "Look at my amazing children." Rather, I'm curious why they didn't rip up books the way some of their peers did. 

Brothers

Picture Day!

Brotherly Love

Not Another Step

Topher and I went on a walk yesterday. He came mostly prepared. His backpack contained an empty water bottle, a full box of tissues, a large Pokemon book, his watch, and a stuffed animal. 

Carrying all of that for a mile around our neighborhood wore him out. By the time we got back to our driveway, Topher was done.

This triggered a memory of two-year-old Topher doing something similar during the summer of 2020.

I guess he's good at letting us know when he needs a rest.

Selfie Queen

Somehow, these are all selfies...

Maths

Now that we're almost to the end of the school year, Topher is starting to bring home his school supplies. He used up his math workbook and brought home the cover, plus a few blank pages still attached to the inside. I found him in the library, writing in his own math problems on those blank pages so he could continue to work on his favorite subject.

The Only Time He's Still

For the record, we have plenty of pillowcases, but apparently we don't always use them.

Also, sleeping kids are still as cute as sleeping babies.

I Love You

Topher and I read a few Valentine's Day books before school today. I asked Topher if he could read this one to me. It's a rebus book, so many of the words were in picture form. When he got to the end the whole thing was written in words, sans pictures. He started to sing it to a tune that he made up on the fly and I asked if I could make a video.

With Topher's blessing, here's your singing valentine!

Lumos

We watched Harry Potter 1 and 2 on New Year's Eve, are reading the first book, and watched the 3rd movie on Friday as a family. Topher is suddenly very into the world of Hogwarts and Harry Potter. He's been running around the house casting spells on everyone. I keep having to remind him not to run with a wand.

I'm glad he's so excited about something the rest of us love so much.

Style

"Can you take a picture and put it on the blog?" -Topher, pleased with his self-styled fauxhawk.

We Should Be Doing Bedtime...

But we're taking selfies instead.

A Long, Long Time Ago

Bryan's dad rediscovered this gem that Bryan edited together eighteen years ago. One thing that's interesting to me about this video is that Peter still has some of these mannerisms. And he still gets silly and goofy when he's tired. Somehow this simultaneously feels likes it was many years old and like it just happened.

Time is weird.

Peter is funny and entertaining, then and now.

And Bryan is still clever.

Matchy Matchy

Topher matched his Spiderman backpack on Monday, which was both unintentional and awesome. And we realized when we got to the bus stop that his glasses were still at home. Oops.

Keep to the List

Phoebe made a to-do list to keep herself on task on Saturday. Sophie followed her example. And then Topher did too.

Yes, Sophie's does say "slay the day away." That's how she says, "be awesome."

In case you need a translation:

Topher to-dos

Play

Make up games

Games

Words and Actions

"I love you is a hug for when your hands are messy." -Topher, brimming over with love for Bryan when he took the younger two kids for a fun lunch at Costco.

The Bells

After many years of wanting them and borrowing some from a friend for Primary on Sunday, I finally bought my own set of educational handbells. Topher and Sophie are really enjoying them. Topher spent time this week sitting at the piano, ringing a bell, and finding the corresponding keys. He was pretty excited to discover how many Cs were on the keyboard.

And Beyond

"But why is space infinite?" - Topher, contemplating the big questions while eating his lunch after church on Sunday.

He followed it up with, "Cooper, infinite means it has no end." 

Now we know.

Charcuterie

I was so exhausted from our long week that I let myself take a nap on Sunday afternoon. When I went to sleep (Bryan napped at the same time), Topher was sitting at the end of our bed watching If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. When I woke up an hour later the TV was off and he was gone. I pulled myself out of bed and called down from the top of the stairs.

Me: Topher buddy? Where are you?

Topher: I'm down here!

Me: Okay, what are you doing?

Topher: I'm making a feast!

Me: Uh...

This was his feast. He was very excited about it.

He even added grapes and cheese later to go along with his pepperoni and Ritz crackers.