Tinker Toy Inventor
Greetings to everyone.
Who knew seven dollars could go so far? The partial Tinker Toy set Rebecca found for Xavier last month has become his favorite toy. This toy set eclipses even his passion for Hot Wheels.
Here, Xavier sits inside his dryer, its blower in back and ajar door in front. His washing machine (behind and to the left) has an agitator and a lid (it's a top-loader). To the left he has a drying rack—we have two in our laundry room and they get used heavily, so he informed us he needed to build one.
I would like to say he thought up how to build these items on his own, but he did have some adult input and assistance. He built the fan for the dryer and the agitator for the washer. He wanted a box for both, but could not figure out how to build them from the limited parts in the toy set.
The adult assist came in building the boxes. We used another toy set, which just happened to fit with the Tinker Toys.
The Aerator
Greetings to everyone.
A couple of weeks back, Rebecca's MOPS group held its annual sale. It's like a giant garage sale for all things kids and moms related. Great bargains, as you may expect.
Rebecca worked the sale this year, which entitled her to shop Thursday evening. The sale opened to the public early Friday, so Rebecca got to pick up stuff before it got picked over. She found a bike trailer for Xavier, as well as a couple of games and building sets. Of the two building sets Xavier scored, he has liked his Tinker Toys the most.
We have built windmills, planes, helicopters, steam rollers, and of course, car washes just to name a few of the projects this set of toys allowed him to undertake.
This morning, very early, Xavier had been up maybe long enough to exit his room and find me in my office, the sounds of a small engine roared in our ears. Around the corner of the house a stranger pushing an aerator appeared, most unexpectedly. We had engaged a crew to aerate this Spring, but Sunday at 8:00 AM was not when we thought they would do the work.
The machine enthralled Xavier. He watched it through the slider door leading to the back yard, asking what the guy was doing. I explained, then invited Xavier to put on his shoes so we could go outside and see the holes and plugs in the lawn.
After church this morning, we stopped off at Ace to buy grass seed. While Rebecca spread the seed in the newly aerated, fertilized lawn, Xavier built his newest tinker Toy project. Afterward, he hastened into the yard to help. He later reported to me that aerating the yard was hard work.
Our Little Boy is Growing Up
Greetings to all.
Yes, our little boy is growing up. Today he behaved like a little man!
We both needed a haircut, Dad much more so than Xavier. Rebecca was out of town today, so today was a great opportunity for dad and son bonding.
At breakfast, I told Xavier I needed a haircut. He asked "why?" (that typical 4-year old "why?" he asks about nearly everything these days). I explained my hair was too long. He understood, then said his hair was too long also.
I made an appointment for after school, and we arrived about 4:00 PM. On the drive over, Xavier told me "Daddy, I will hold really still."
Our last several visits to the barber have gone OK, but Xavier still fights and resists and squirms in the chair. The chair, by the way, always has Dad sitting in it and Xavier on my lap. He does not like the mister to wet his hair. He does not like the scissors touching his skin or scalp. The sounds of the scissors make him nervous. Always, he holds a pensive look or his eyes puff out to the point of tears, sometimes crossing into tears and screams of protest. Always he squirms and makes the barber have to work and take extra care not to poke him.
While waiting for our turn, I asked Xavier if he wanted to go first. He said, "No. I want you to go first." I teased him a little, but in the end I went first. I fully expected to serve as his comfort and booster seat when his turn came.
Not so! Xavier sat in the chair watching me get my cut. He rarely fidgeted (which itself is a wonder!). When the barber finished with me, I asked Xavier if he wanted to sit on my lap or in the chair by himself.
To my surprise, he wanted to sit in the chair by himself. He got up and crossed the room with a confidence and a sureness I have not seen in him before. He came straight to the chair without hesitation. He did not even want help climbing into the chair and onto the booster seat the barber put in place for him.
The barber (who has cut Xavier's hair these last three years) spoke with him, asking how he wanted his hair cut. She showed him the cape and asked if he wanted to wear it. She showed him the scissors, and filled the mister bottle with warm water. She even demonstrated the clippers to him, which he has always shied away from due to their buzzing noise and vibration. Xavier agreed to everything but the clippers.
Xavier sat in the chair, and true to his statement held still while the barber wet his hair and clipped his fine locks. He only moved away from the scissors when they came near his brow.
After sitting through his haircut like a big boy, he got down from the chair and asked the barber if he could use the bathroom. Wow! There was no "Daddy, I have to pee!" announced across the room. In fact, there was no coming over to Daddy after the cut for comfort or reassurance. He went into the bathroom by himself!
Afterward, Xavier and I headed over to get pizza, as is our custom. Xavier crawled into the booth, took his menu and ordered his drink and our pizza by himself.
I was so proud of him in the barber shop for his behavior. But also, I was a little heart broken as he did not show any signs of needing his Daddy to help him through his haircut. Indeed, our little boy is growing up, and it is bitter-sweet (though more sweet than bitter).