Tag Archives: Atticus

65/365: Trio World

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When Atticus sets up a bunch of toys and things in a particular order, he calls it a “world.” This picture of tonight’s Trio creation is a good example of it.

Earlier this evening at my parents’ house, he was bringing all kinds of kids’ things into the dining room: puzzles, crayons, a ball-slam toy, Winne-the-Pooh and friends figurines, a metal dump truck. When I told him it was time to go home, he was upset that he wouldn’t be able to finish his world.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to create your own world? What kinds of people, places, objects, colors, textures, and sounds would your world have?

I used a “film grain” Photoshop filter.

Jedi Reading Intro by Atticus

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Attie’s been playing a lot of the Star Wars Jedi Reading game on Lucas’ Leapster 2 lately. It’s helping him work on spelling and reading and learn new vocabulary, yes, but it’s also taught him a whole lot about Star Wars.

In the midst of his off-game playing and drawing, you can hear him reciting the instructions and comments from different games. Just now, for example, he came downstairs and sat at the table with me, saying, “We need your help to rescue ships for the Rebel Alliance. Press the ‘home’ button to play another game.”

Yeah, a little weird. And a lot amazing. What a memory!

I took this video of him reciting the introduction to the game this morning. He’d already gone through it a few times when it hit me to record. (Slow on the uptake…too much grading to do.)

When he watched the video, he said, “Fast.” Then he was all giggles. 😀

“It’s a dark time in the galaxy…”

50/365: Atticus’ Kids Period

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Picasso had his Blue and Rose periods; El Greco had his Cretan and Italian periods.

Four-year-old Atticus is now in his “Kids Period.”

Every time he breaks out the paper and markers or crayons, he’s drawing kids. Kids with candy. Kids with bumps on their heads. Kids with one arm. Purple kids. Blue kids. Green kids. Kids under clouds. Kids under the sun.

I asked him why he loves to draw kids.

“Everybody likes kids,” he shrugged.

When Atticus draws a picture, he wants me to write down its name, the date, his name, and the person he’s decided to give the picture to. These two are for Kevin’s aunt Melanie and her daughter Kelsey.

42/365: Dum-Dum-Da-Dum (alternatively: Valentine, Be Mine?!)

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Getting Valentine’s Day cards ready for Monday, Lucas helped check off the names of the kids in his class until he got check-happy and checked half the class before making their cards.

That’s when I stepped in and marked with a line each one we’d already made as he called out the names.

It was interesting watching Lucas decide which card (and which flavor Dum Dum) to give to which of his classmates. He wrote all 17 of them. Pretty neatly, too, if I may add.

Atticus picked out a few of the cards he’s taking to Susie’s (our sitter/preschool teacher) but was distracted as usual, so I got to pick out most of those and write all of them.

And by the time Kevin came home with dinner from Pizza Hut, we were done.

Lucas, pointing to the box: It says, “Dum Dum Pops.”
Kevin: Don’t say that! They’re probably pretty smart.

;(

17/365: A Child’s Vision of Family

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This is our family as envisioned by a five-year-old Lucas, who is now six. He drew the picture and asked me to write the names he wanted on it.

I’ve spent a lot of time appreciating it over the last year or however long it’s been hanging on the fridge.

The main thing I love about this particular piece of art is that our family is all together. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen very much anymore.

And we all look happy.

We’re not holding hands, but our arms are outstretched toward each other. (One of mine actually is right in front of Atticus’ face.) We’re enjoying each other’s company.

I also notice:

  • Kevin is tallest in the picture. In reality, 17-year-old Ryan is at least an inch or two taller.
  • My head is biggest … but so is my smile.
  • Ryan’s hair is longest. It really is by far.

At the beginning of last summer, I went through the artwork box I’ve kept for Ryan all these years, hoping to weed out some things that aren’t so keep-worthy. But it’s so hard for me.

Seeing those little hand-print turkeys and cotton-ball Santas takes me back to a time when my firstborn was my baby. I look at him now and wonder where he went. As much as I love Ryan today, I miss that little kid.

And I know that someday I’ll look back on this picture by Lucas and all the other artwork that he and four-year-old Atticus make with a smile and a catch in my throat.