Bubba is playing with the boy across the street. I try to forget that the only reason the little boy is over here is because no one else in the neighborhood is home. I try to not ruminate on this because, even though they only play with each other once or twice a month when the situation arises, they get along rather well.

This boy enjoys "playing pretend" with transportation toys with Bubba, even if it isn't his first choice, and Bubba has picked up some of the neighbor's word choices. The one that's been starting every sentence lately is "Pretend..."

I couldn't help but smile when Bubba said:

"Pretend you were at a drive thru and you were making something really special." [Pause]
"Pretend you were making doughnuts!"

And then...

Bubba:

"Pretend there was a construction worker at the drive thru hungry for apples and corn."
[pause]
"Pretend he said 'I want some apples and corn' [changes his voice]"
[pause]
"Pretend you say 'Here are the apples and corn.' [changes his voice]"
[pause]
"Pretend he ate the apples and corn."

The other boy:

"Can it be candy apples?"
[pause]
"Can there be bad guys after you that are going to destroy you?"

Bubba:

"BurgerZone, pretend you need to call 911!"

And in less than 20 seconds from making doughnuts, we are now in the middle of a battle between "the heavy thing that can crack the pavement" [according to Bubba] and various missle sounds [the other boy]. Moosie is running around in circles, as always carrying his cars, just taking it all in.

I love it!

Cellphone Surprises

Downloaded some pictures from my cellphone; here are just a handful.

Meet the Machines
I have better pictures on my digital camera, but my camera port is broken. I'm too cheap (or lazy) to take the memorystick to Walgreens to get a CD of them. The boys weren't as enamoured as I thought they would be, but it was pretty crazy. Lots of construction machines in close quarters. They could've watched the "dumping demonstration" for hours though.




Apples

Moose still loves apples. I came inside after getting him on the bus, and was greeted by apple art on the arm of our recliner.



The Youzeum

Since all of my sisters have decided to move to the same town (away from me), I took the boys to visit last week. We went with Aunt M to the Youzeum. There were quite a few exhibits under construction, but what was there was pretty cool. Bubba loves talking about nutrition and doing good things for his body (even if he often refuses to practice what he preaches), so this was great encouragement for him. We were there for over 2 hours (maybe 3), and had to force the boys to leave!

Happy Hoarder

I read this, which inspired me to have a little scavenger hunt of my own since it had been a few days since the last one.

Moosie has always been a hoarder. Well, for his first year he wasn't mobile, technically he wasn't really that mobile until he was 18 months old. Even then he would cry to be put down and would crumple up his favorite crochet blankie (he used to hold his arm straight in the air to 'sign' for it, but now calls it his "ahck ate ate" [black blanket]). He chewed the thick yarn with his fingers as much as he chewed it with his teeth.

But once he was mobile, he would wander. I would find him under lots of things. At first this frightened me because he was so quiet. I would get lost in something, and look around after realizing that Moosie was gone. Now when Bubba was 18 months old, he would be out the locked back door, down the deck stairs, and approaching the fence gate in the time it took me to get milk out of the fridge, so when Moosie would disappear, my heart would race, my pace would quicken. But eventually I learned to look in 4 or 5 places--under his bed, under the chifarobe, under the baker's rack, behind the recliner, and, his all time favorite, under the quilt rack.

So when Moosie wanted to be around me or the goings on of the house--or in the car, or really anywhere he couldn't escape--he would hold as many items as possible. Trains and cars, books were a favorite. And as a good Mommy, I wanted to make this easier for my baby. He would get so frustrated dropping an item each time he bent over to pick up another. So I showed him how to use bowls and buckets, he even got a stroller for Christmas one year. And the little stinker piled them high and still carried an arm full.

But now, since some time earlier this year, Moosie prefers to do his hand hoarding (which must be distinguished from his mouth hoarding) alone. He disappears quietly several times a day, each time little trinkets, toys, and doodads trailing behind him to the promise land. I, of course, do not realize what has been swiped because I can't even remember which direction the kitchen is nowadays.

So every other day or so I go on a little expedition.

Some times I find popcorn. Or pretzels. Or apples. Sometimes chewed up, sometime spit out.



Sometimes I find my checkbook. And car keys. Toys and books are a given.



Sometimes I find candles. Or picture frames. Or lots and lots of blankets.



And sometimes I find this...sound asleep.