Recreating Thunder

Today we had unexpected lightening, thunder and rain!
The boys and I tried to replicate the sounds of thunder... and we succeeded.
We put beads between two paper plates and I stapled them together (if I was doing this with other children I would tape over the staples to avoid chances of them getting poked, but I risked it with my own)
We tried lighter weight plates, and smaller square plates, but the heavy duty large paper plates made the best thunder sound.

The tin container (that has a clear plastic lid) made a good rain sound if you tapped your fingers on it.

Westley sang the Rain Rain Go Away Song.
He said it worked at school and couldn't figure out why it wasn't working at home.
I tried to explain the meaning of the word coincidence to him.

I sang him a new song:
(to the tune where is thumpkin)
I hear thunder, I hear thunder
and see lightning too, lightning too
pitter patter rain drops, pitter patter rain drops
I'm all wet, how about you?

After all this the boys put on their boots and rain jackets and we went on a long wet walk through the neighborhood as the jumped in puddles and gutters.

Fly Me

Like many kids probably, this is something my sister and I used to do to each other when we were younger. This is the first time Will got a real good fly and he loved it. He also got a kick out of my doing exercises by me doing bench presses in a sense with my legs with him flying. It's a good workout!

Westley loves to fly and even can so do with no hands... we just didn't get any pictures of him today

Mapping the Neighborhood

Westley wanted to make a map.
My ability to help was limited as I had to teach tonight, but Grandma helped him out.
Together they made a map of our neighborhood. Noted was our house and block and the way to the playground and swing park in our culdasac.
After making the map, Westley used it to drive to the park.
I left about the same time, taking this picture from my car.

Watering Plants

Today was a very hot day! We went to Legoland waterpark and actually had an enjoyable time with the sun out!
In the evening, I suggested we water the plants since they probably got thirsty in the heat.
The boys jumped at the opportunity and made sure every plant, in the front yard and the back yard got some water
:)

Roll the Ball

An oh so simple game that was significant because it was used as a redirection tactic today.
They boys were running around loudly fighting over toys while I was trying to get ready for church and the beach.
I suggested for them to roll the ball back and forth to each other and I got them started sitting apart in the kitchen with their legs apart. As they got better at it I encouraged them to move farther apart. They got a kick out of that.

I love watching them truly play together.

KGB Skyshow

After one SDSU football game each season, KGB puts on a Skyshow of fireworks which is supposedly the longest firework show in the U.S. It was great! Westley loved watching the game with Dad and I and had the biggest smile on his face while watching the fireworks show.
And Westley made it on the Jumbotron

This was my first time seeing it in the stadium. I was impressed as well. Hopefully next year more friends and family can join us as I see this becoming a yearly family tradition for us!

Here's a video clip of the fireworks too

In the waves

September is usually my favorite time to go in the ocean as usually that is when the water is the warmest. Well, with this year being such a cold year, the water is still cold! But I took the boys in anyway. They both just loved jumping the waves, just like I did as a child

Firefighting

While the boys were napping, I set our town on fire!

Westley came outside, just stared at it for a minute, and then his eyes got big and he said "Fire"
So with pretend alarm sounds Westley ran in and got dressed in his firefighting gear, came out, grabbed the hose and put the fire out!

Will helped too. He got his hat and then threw some of the ice chips he was eating at the fire. Then took a turn with the hose as well.

Set Design

I didn't tell the boys why we were doing this, and they are so used to doing activities they don't ask. They just jump right in!

Our goal was to make a house and a multistory office building.
Grandma worked on the house.

The boys and I worked on the office building.
On the other side we drew desks and even had a working elevator.

We also added in a car.

The car is driving home from work

Robot Lightsabers

I went on a The Dollar Store shopping spree today.
One "find" were these lightsaber things. They are made of foam, but light up and make a few quiet sounds. Usually I don't buy this kind of stuff as I don't really like play toys that encourage fighting (we get enough of that without them), but apparently I cave for $1

Westley said (in his robot voice) "I am a robot... I like to hit moms"

Will of course had to copy him

Grandma has past experience in fencing and showed the boys some moves, but she avoided my camera t during most of them :)

Lil Busy Bodies

When Westley was 1-2 years old we went multiple times a week to a place called Weestart, with gym music and play activities for young children, much like a Gymborree. We were so sad when the owner moved and Weestart closed. Allison, the owner is back and is now running classes at parks and Babies in Bloom under the business name Lil Busy Bodies. We miss the big space of Weestart, with all of the balls, things to climb and play in etc. but I am happy Will has had a chance to do a few of the things Westley got to do.

What do animals do when they are scared?

Today Westley and I talked about what different animals do when they are scared... when they think something is going to eat them.
I first reminded him of how the rollie pollies roll up into a ball.
We listed out other things animals do when they are scared, and Westley acted them out

hiding in his "shell"

 rolled up like a rollie pollie

Others:
Bugs/Birds- Fly away
Deers and others - freeze
Cats- scratch, hiss, run away
Dogs- bark, fur on their backs go up
Skunk- sprays
etc.

Rollie Pollies

We've been very into bugs lately!
Today we studied rollie pollies that were in our front yard.

We observed how they roll into balls when they are scared, and we counted to see how long they typically took to unroll and walk around again (about 30 seconds when in your hand, but only 10 seconds when in the dirt)

This day reminded me of a day when I was a child, and at our baton teacher's house I filled my animal cookie box full of rollie pollies I had found. On the way home I opened the container to look at my rollie pollies. My mom instantly pulled the car over and had me dump them all out. Traumatized me for life :)

Paper Towel Rolls

Easy Entertainment!
I finished a roll of paper towels, cut the roll in half and gave one piece to each boy.
They ran off with excitement using them as microphones and telescopes.
One of those days you wonder why you spend so much money on buying toys :)

Golf Club Step Stool Hockey

Today the boys had out our golf clubs and Will came up with the idea to hit the ball into the opening of the stool (innovative I thought for a young 2 year old)
So the boys practiced this on their own. Then, since we have two stools I set up a kitchen hockey game for Westley and I. He totally grasps the concept and did pretty well (it was hard with plastic clubs and little lightweight balls) Fun though, they already pulled out the game again before bed.

Happy Bday Buck

Today Westley, Will and Grandma Kathy pretended it was Buck's birthday and had a prentend birthday party for Buck (Grandma's dog).
I missed the party as I was teaching :(

They made party hats, a birthday banner, pretend cupcakes and sang Happy Birthday.

Too cute!! Westley and Will had a great time!

Buck may have been less enthused by it all...especially his hat

Easel Trick

At Westley's school they have a pencil on a long string tied to the easel so they can write the children's names on the easel paintings.

It gave me the simple idea, one of those where you think, why didn't I think of that sooner?

We have an easel, but it doesn't get much use as Will is the kind of child who will paint, draw, and marker on anything - the couch, walls, furniture etc.

But I have been wanted to have more opportunities for them to write and draw.

So I tied a dry erase marker to a string and taped it to the easel. They can draw all over but the marker stays in the confined space.

Will especially is loving it!

Might as well Jump!

Today we spend the afternoon with Aunt Lisa and cousin Drew at our house. We played, walked to the playground,  made homemade pizza, and had a little dance party while waiting for the pizza to cool.
They danced and jumped to the song that goes Jump! Might as well jump!

Maybe Lisa knows the name of it.
I was glad she could jump big with the boys since I cannot do so on my once broken ankle.

Snailoligy

Today I pointed out a baby snail to Westley in our backyard.

He immediately asked what does it eat? And asked if we could look them up on the computer (either he is truly interested in biology or will use any excuse to get to use the computer. I will pretend it is the first)
I asked him how this snail was different than the horned caterpillars we looked at a few days ago. He first mentioned that the snail had a shell, and that he was crawling on the ground.
I also pointed out to him his tentacles. He asked if his eyes were at the tips. I didn't know
Online we read that snails prefer dying plants, but also eat live plants and fruit. We learned that their eyes are at the tips of their tentacles.
Westley took this picture of the snail

and then he (and Will) drew the snail where we found him... crawling on our bricks and then we put him in a bug container to watch him some more, before releasing him back outside.

Letters

Westley loves doing "letters" on the computer. That is where I open a blank Microsoft Word document for him, make the font real large, make it the color of his choice and he types letters.
The only reason this is probably so exciting to him is because it is the only thing I allow him to do on the computer (besides look at our pictures).
I think he would be the type who would be on the computer all the time if he was allowed to (hmm, wonder where he might get that from?) and I feel like he has the rest of his life to be on computers and this should be his time to play in a 3D world, so that is why he doesn't go on the internet or play any computer games.
Occasionally, I do let him do letters
Today we added a new dimension which is why I found it noteworthy.
He asked me how to write computer. I told him I would write it down for him and then he could copy and type it.

I wasn't sure if he would be able do that all by himself, but he did it perfectly.
Then he said he wanted to write a letter to Grandma Martha. He told me want he wanted to say and I again wrote it out for him.
He lost the attention for it though and only wrote Hi Gran
sorry Grandma, you won't be getting a typed letter...yet

Watermelon Act of Kindness

Today I prepared extra of what we were having for dinner to take to friends who have a young baby. I remember the days of trying to cook everything with a baby in one arm, so whenever a new family lets me, I like to bring food. I was explaining to Westley just that, about how it is hard for moms with tiny babies to cut up fruit because they cannot hold their baby and the knife at the same time. I asked him if he wanted to help cut up some watermelon for them. He jumped at the opportunity. Will was two steps behind Westley.
So I sat them both at the table with their little butter knives and gave them a large piece of watermelon minus the rind. They cut away.

Westley can cut in nice chunks, Will's turned into watermelon mush (which we did not give away). Westley was happy to help package up the watermelon and Will went with me to deliver it. He said baby! the whole way there. I'm not sure he knew what to expect, but he had fun anyway.