Saturday, August 31, 2013

bishka came to see us again!

we were so excited to see bishka for the second time this summer!  last time my mom was here, any time pace saw a truck, he'd look at her so earnestly and say, "pace need that truck."  "pace need bucket lift."  "pace need front-end yoader (loader)."  my mom found a bucket lift model and brought it with her for pace.  before she came, she made a little video showing pace the bucket lift, and letting him know she was bringing it out for him.  pace's focus was on nothing else the weeks leading up to her visit--every day he'd say, "bishka bring you white bucket lift!"

and so, the night my mom came in, pace could not sleep...she arrived at 10pm and pace came running out of his room.  he knows the routine--unlike normal traveling people, bishka doesn't fill her suitcase with clothes and bathroom supplies...she fills her suitcase with gifts and treats for the boys!  (and some for david and me, too!...and don't worry, she already has a stash of clothes she keep here.)  pace knew there would be a white bucket lift somewhere in that suitcase, so he promptly sat down and waited for the goods.  and bishka delivered!    








bishka helped out with our theme days, too!  she taught pace the water cycle--they splashed through puddles on the morning walk and looked behind them at their footprints and watched them evaporate.  pace gets it, too!--when you ask him where water goes when it gets hot, he says, "apper-ration!", and when you ask him where water goes when the clouds get too heavy, he says, "rain! this!"  and then demonstrates "raining" with his fingers.  they also made rivers and lakes with blue paint on paper, and we took a trip to the splash pad to play in the water.  max has even come out of his shell and has decided he likes splashing in water now!





on color day bishka helped pace line up his cars like a rainbow--and of course, more stacking!  don't you love those little baby bottoms as they sit and play?!  max consistently uses his left hand for eating and playing...will he be our second lefty in the family?  bishka also likes to bake something with pace while she's here.  this time they made a pear cobbler.  yum!









max decided to take his first unassisted steps during bishka's visit, too!  as long as he was holding onto something in both hands, he felt secure enough to make a run for it.  since then, however, the little stinker makes his mad scrunchy face if i try and get him to walk on his own!










Thursday, August 15, 2013

tempera paint + dish soap = fun!

best recipe ever for window painting--and mama loves the clean up!  just hose it down!










isn't this how you eat oatmeal cookies with chocolate-covered raisins?







going on a lion hunt

"lion day":
put on the lion hat from a halloween costume and traced the lion's shadow
painted a lion plate (pace and i cut out the ears, eyes, nose, and tongue together), glued on the face and mane, then painted the mane orange
letter "l" for lion abc activities
and later in the week (after finding lion stuffed animals) we went on a lion hunt!  this was one of my favorite things to do with my mom when i was little!



we're going on a lion hunt,
we're not afraid!
got my canteen by my side,
and my binoculars too.

coming up to short grass now
can't go under it,
can't go around it,
we'll have to go through it!
(swish, swish, swish, swish)

we're going on a lion hunt (repeat)

coming up to long grass now
can't go under it,
can't go around it,
we'll have to go through it!
(swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh)

we're going on a lion hunt (repeat)



coming up to mud now
can't go under it,
can't go around it,
we'll have to go through it!
(squelch, squelch, squelch, squelch)

we're going on a lion hunt (repeat)




coming up to a bridge now
can't go under it,
can't go around it,
we'll have to go over it!
(climb, climb, climb, climb)

we're going on a lion hunt (repeat)



coming up to a cave now...
it's very dark...
i've found something...
it's soft and furry...
it's warm and moves...

ahhhhh!  it's a lion!  run!
back over the bridge!
(climb, climb, climb, climb)
back through the mud!
(squelch, squelch, squelch, squelch)
back through the tall grass!
(swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh)
back through the short grass!
(swish, swish, swish, swish) 

when pace saw cuddly little stuffed lions, he was not going to run away for anything!  he scooped them right up, hugged them tight, and grinned from ear to ear, "lions, mama, lions!"  i told him to pick one for himself and one for max.  max promptly got to his specialty:  nose nuzzling!  and pace wanted to cuddle in the lion cave!  i am so lucky to have such sweet, sweet boys!














and then daddy got home from work and showed us how to *really* catch a lion!