From the Mouths of (Our) Babes

Avery was laughing a few minutes ago. I asked him what was so funny, and he explained, "I almost accidentally called you, 'Your Majesty,' instead of 'Mommy'"

Last night at bedtime, Avery stood at the top of the steps on the third floor and would not let Walker pass. He said, "I am a door, daddy, and you can't get through unless you open me!" Walker asked what he needed to open the door. Avery replied, very quickly, "A credit card."

I wanted to take the robot, pictured here, home for Avery. I actually got a, "Awww, maaaaaooooommm!" I think we might have reached the trash picking tipping point.

I just loved the way Avery sat down so comfortably with all the slightly older kids at the library last evening for the Alice in Wonderland event. It wasn't really an Alice in Wonderland Event. More like odd drama kids from Temple in Wonderland...But Avery and the other kids did really seem to enjoy it.

Avery couldn't sleep this weekend, and woke up like an infant on Saturday night---11pm, 1:30pm, and finally, 3am. He came down to our bed, and tried to squeeze in the middle, between us. He put his head on the pillow, and sat up abruptly. He turned to me, very seriously, and proclaimed, "I can't get any sleep! The pillow doesn't fit here properly!"

So there is something to a mama's instinct. Glad we kept him home yesterday and today. Poor little guy. But he's on antibiotics, and feeling a TON better tonight. He's presently eating popcorn and watching Muppets Take Manhattan with us.

Avery woke up at around 1am last night and said he had a sore throat. Actually, he said that the back of his neck hurt. I figure he meant throat. As a side note, this made me realize that we are never really taught how to describe symptoms, and I feel like we should teach Avery that skill. As an adult, I still get very anxious and inarticulate in the doc's office trying to describe symptoms and feel like it's something I really need to know how to do. ANYWAY, though, we figured his throat hurt, at least briefly, last night. When he overslept this morning, we let him sleep late. He didn't go to school. When he finally woke up, around 9am, he asked me, "Am I sick, Mommy?" I replied, "I don't know, are you?" He then revealed that, no, he was not...and wanted a smoothie and to play catch with a baloon. This further confirms the fact that he still doesn't lie to get out of things (only to get more dessert). But I still wanted to keep him home,...

Avery created this scene with Playdough, construction paper and markers this morning. There is even a tiny airplane in there, too, if you can see it. He refused to leave for school unless I took a picture. Unfortunately, all I had was my phone so the photo is a bit small. However, it still seems quite worthy of posting... ***I have to add that Avery said the name of this piece is "Jet Lag". This is a term he's heard recently, and perhaps does not know the meaning.

This is the first time I've seen Avery's art look a bit more 'traditional.' Still LOVE it, of course. ... This is his drawing for Walker for Father's Day. As you can see, it's entitled, "Dad". It came with a note inside,

Avery usually likes someone to accompany him when he leaves his bed to get up in the morning. He'll wake up, hang out for a little bit to stretch, and then call for one of us. Usually he'll call for the person who put him to sleep, which I always find interesting. This even happens if someone babysits, so he'll call for Pop Tom if Pop Tom babysat the night before. This morning, however, he did something different. He woke up around 7am, and I heard from the third floor, "ANYBODDDDDYYYYYYYY? ANYBODDDDDYYYYYYY? IS ANYBODY HERE????"

Recipe for French Fries , by Avery You will need: ketchup french fries. 1. Take some french fries. 2. Take some ketchup. 3. Put them in the oven. 4. Put them on a plate and you have some French fries.

A talking pig, of course.

I was emptying Avery's lunch bag at the end of the day, and found this baggie, full of flowers (I used to call them Clover flowers---are they?) It reminded me of one of my favorite songs, When I was a Boy, by Dar Williams (http://www.lyricstime.com/dar-williams-when-i-was-a-boy-lyrics.html). It's the last part, the "I was a girl, too." part that always gets me... Bag of flowers...aw...just love my BOY!

We've been collecting "robot parts" for a little while now. These include old earrings, sticks, bottle caps, and random objects we find walking around the city. This is not the safest hobby, nor perhaps the most hygienic, but it helps make walks go by faster (and occasionally distracts Avery long enough so that he will not ask to be carried). This weekend, Walker and Avery went to the hardware store and bought a glue gun (for $5! who knew glue guns were so reasonable?)... And this is what we made. There is a car, a sign, a man and woman, and a pet. Not sure how easy to see...perhaps better in person: Constructed by Avery (and Jane and Walker). The problem is that they are a little bit fragile, which prevents any real play with them...but still fun.

"Mommy, I wasn't hitting you. I was pretending you were a drum."

Avery looks like he's on his best behavior, and also very serious. This is deceiving, as I recall that we got a 'report' that day that Avery was a little sneaky.

Avery loves the cray-pas!

So we are stuck in traffic, and to entertain Avery, I made up a game. Me: ok, so finish the song....Old McDonald had a... Avery: cookie in his van! Me: well, ok. Let's try another one...Mary had a little... Avery: fairy pig! Me: row, row , row avery: to the farmers market.