Leggo My LEGO

Up until this week Isaac has been very content to watch Orry build LEGO sets.  Sometimes he would peek into the big box of LEGO toys, maybe even attempt to click a few bricks together.   But this week, that all changed.  Isaac was very insistent that he put a set together.  So I humored him.  Little did I know that I would be the one with all the giggles.

 He did very good for his first try.  He put all the pieces together by himself.  I was simply there to help him find the pieces that had gone astray and to help him understand some of the symbols in the instructions.  It probably took him a solid hour, but he completed the set and was ready to work it again.  (It was a Creator set, for those of you who know LEGO.  It is one set of bricks that can be built into three different things.)  I didn't get any pictures that time because I was too busy having my mind blown at just how focused he was on completing this task.  It goes without saying that I could wipe the grin off my face.  My little boy is growing up!

So the next day, I took some photos.  This time he went for the log cabin set.  Here's how it went:

So many pieces...

Building the walls...

Putting in the table and chairs...

The fireplace, complete with bull horns

All that's missing is the roof (and can you find the chicken leg?)

Oh, and don't forget the water and the duck.

It took just about everything in Orry's power not to take over the project.  Orry is a faster builder.  He doesn't ask as many questions as Isaac.  He's had more practice.  But lucky for us we have plenty to sets to keep them both occupied.  It has actually been a strange week.  Isaac's new interest in the LEGO toys has renewed Orry's interest.  I find there is less fighting when they are together if they are both working on a set.  And they do interact with each other.  Orry has been very helpful, giving pointers and telling Isaac where his mistakes are.  It's quite nice, I must admit.  Quiet too.

Now, as for that problem of the tiny pieces that somehow always go missing....

Full Circle

Recently I've been pushing shopping carts down aisle after aisle looking for dinosaurs.  Nothing like hectic Christmas shopping to remind you of that Christmas feeling...

While browsing, I came across a keyboard that's shaped like a cat's face.  Annie took to it immediately.  For heaven's sake, it meows the notes!  I immediately realized that I've come full circle.

One Christmas, I received a Casio keyboard.  Man, I loved that thing.  Strange because we had a real piano.  That small, white, noise machine was so awesome!  Well, to me it was.  To my mom, it was just a small, white, noise machine.  There was a demo song programmed on the keyboard.  You can listen to it here (at the 0:35 mark).  I loved jammin' to that song.  Twenty something years later, my mom can still hum that song.  Perfectly.  Poor Mom.

While mulling over the idea of buying such a wretchedly awesome thing, a fellow shopper commented on how annoying toys with batteries were for the parents.  I agreed.  Then she proceeded to say something to the effect of "Well, I had to put up with it.  Now it's their turn."  Yep.  Full circle.

Another full circle moment: Orry brought home the note announcing the arrival of Santa's Gift Shop at his school.  Yep.  I remember picking out one mallard shaped wooden box for my dad.  Part of the reason I remember it so well is because he still has it.  (This should be the part where I apologize to my parents and simultaneously thank them for all they put with.)  So I shelled out some bucks for Orry to go and have that experience that I so dearly remember.  I told him to only get a gift for Isaac and Annie.  He came back with a 2" walking baseball, a baby rattle, and a gift for himself.  Oh, pay back is a...

But it's the Christmas season, after all.  A time of giving.  A time to celebrate and revel in the happiness of children.  And a time to really appreciate all that our parents did for us.  Nothing like paying your dues to get you into that Christmas spirit...