the game du jour

a couple new games pace has invented:  

tube talk

this is when pace and max decide it's really fun to talk to each other through the gross, disgusting shop vac tube.  pace sits on top of the picnic table and yells instructions to max, "max, say pilcher!"  max responds, "er!"  "max, say fofent!"  "ent!"  "say shoneshun!" "un!"  "no, max--shout louder!"  pace then spied me spying on them with the camera, and turned the tube into a fighter...

i don't discourage tube talk for a few reasons:

1. even though putting the tube to one's lips is kind of gross, that just means they are building up their immune systems, right?
2. pace is helping max build his vocabulary, albeit imaginary words...
3. somewhere in there they are learning something scientific about sounds and how it carries/travels, so what kind of mom would i be if i turned off their curious, scientific minds?!

stuffed animal nest

this is when pace and max decide to throw all their stuffed animals down the stairs and make a big pile at the bottom, and then snuggle in it together.  "c'mon, max, throw it down, like this!  good job, max!"  "yah!  nown!"  "go get more, max!  good!"  

and even though i am usually always the one cleaning up after this game, i also refrain from nipping it in the bud because

1. the boys are actually playing together.  collaboratively.
2. pace tells max he's doing a good job.
3. they snuggle in their "nest" after the throwing is all done, and it's really cute.

i have also recently caught pace being a very good listener to help max!  one time we were outside and max was crying and upset over something.  i was weeding or watering the garden, and usually max is crying because he doesn't like walking on wet grass.  i let him cry that one out.  but pace walked right over, sat down next to him, put his hand on max's shoulder and had an entire conversation with him, asking him what was wrong, listening to max's gibberish answer, then telling him it was ok, and taking  his hand.  then they ran around together in the grass.  very sweet.

the other time was just today.  we were heading upstairs for nap time, and lately max has gotten in to the habit of simply laying down on the bottom stair after pace and i have made it to the top, and then shouting a very exaggerated, "heeeeeoupe!  heeeeeeoupe!"  until i go down, pick him up, and carry him all the way up, max giggling the whole time.  today, i was about to walk downstairs, and pace said, "mommy, i'll go help max, and you stay here!"  i peeked around the corner and watched pace go down and say, "max, what's wrong? are you tired?"  "yeah.  erd."  "i'll just hold your hand!  c'mon!"  and up they came!  

we also took another shot at homemade pasta last night for dinner.  pace loves being my kitchen helper.  he wanted to take turns, "mommy, now i'll cut the noodles and you be the impact hammer."  (use the tool to push the pasta dough into the machine)  "now you cut, mommy, and i'll be the hammer!"