Of Cars and Computer Games: Adventures in the lives of Isaiah and Jenny

So.... 10 years late, I am learning to drive.
I headed to the driver's seat, keys clasped firmly in hand. I was an adult. I'm going to get this.

A disturbed little voice, taut with forced cheerfulness, came from behind me "Daddy wants to sit dere!"

(Isaiah has taken to voicing other people's desires, or, what he thinks they ought to be. 'Jenny wants to play wid dat toy...' as he attempts to get her to want something else so he can have what she's playing with. Maybe attempting Jedi Mind Tricks...)

I ignored it, and the little voice became more frantic "Mommy wants to sit in duh odur seat! DADDY wants to drive duh car!!! Daddy wants to drive duh car!" aaaand he had a little crying meltdown about that...

But its ok, he got a donut at church.

Isaiah looking upwards at the joy that is a donut....

Jenny looking upwards to the joy that is a donut...

Perhaps inspired by the earth-shaking changes of someone as inept as Mommy assuming control of the wheel has opened their eyes to new possibilities. I mean, if Mommy can drive then....

Isaiah started it, matter of factly, the way he asks for his beloved peanut butter and jelly sandwiches "Mommy, I want to drive duh car."

And again. Again. Matter of factly, as if he understands, that Mommy is wary at first, but in a week or two....

Jenny and I were going toward the carport door. "Mommy, I want to drive duh car"
Expectantly. And here we go....


Jenny looking artsy peeking through the laundry.

Josh has found the only way to play video games these days....

I've tried to apply the same strategy to Jenny and me using the sewing machine, but she kept trying to touch the needle....she was very indignant that the sewing lesson ended right there...

I organized a photoshoot. I had a theme. White and Pink for us girls. We were all wearing white dresses, and the girls even had a pink flower theme going. I felt so together.
Then we actually tried to take the picture....

Desperately trying to soothe the baby....

Giving up, trying to make the best of it, and look happy and relaxed...

Keziah ain't havin' none of it....

 So, yup.

 So, more cuteness. DID YOU NOTICE JENNY'S FLOWER COORDINATES WITH KEZIAH'S HEADBAND??? SEE??? SEE???

 But really, they smile quite a bit. Just not when they're in color coordinating outfits.... here's a couple more pix of them in their natural habitat (the back yard)....

For the Love of Art

Of Caves and Pools: Adventures in the lives of Isaiah and Jenny

Isaiah has been requesting "Wuke en duh MONSTER" forever for bedtime, Josh's retelling of Luke being caught by the Snow Monster and then cutting off its arm and escaping its cave. 

Anyway, Isaiah has this thing about caves. 

Someone had an accident and the sheets were stripped off. Isaiah managed to to climb UNDER the allergy mattress (tearing the whole thing) because it was a "cave". It did kind of look like an icecave, all white on the inside. I was upset about the cost.

Josh was fascinated with his imagination.

So then Josh propped up a white blanket, as a makeshift cave, and animated a pillow from the other end. "What's in the cave Isaiah?" with wide eyes, Isaiah peered in, and started back as the pillow growled. 

"It's duh snow monster" he whispered.

With his free hand (Josh has long arms) he handed Isaiah his pool tube lightsaber. "Fight the monster, Isaiah".

Isaiah did.

The monster growled and was defeated.

 

And now, any space in his closet, under the bed, any space a little boy can possibly cram himself into, Isaiah calls "A CAVE."

To the eternal disarray of his clothes in the closet....

So Josh made him a new "cave", with a baby blanket and his little table, as an entrance to the "cave" under the bed.

Much fun was had by all.

At some point, Jenny fell asleep. Isaiah helpfully kept her ears warm with Ikea kitchen earmuffs....

I have written before of Isaiah's love for Josh's lego knights, and how he named the green one "Daddy," recently, he named the purple one "Fawkon." They get into arguments, because Jenny insists its name is "Idaiah"

She named Sarah's lego knight "Gampa."
She's got a very logical mind, and seems to be into sequences...

She does not approve of Isaiah's random naming practices. They  had a little spat about it. 

They also had a little spat about "Idaiah's round."
A non existent thing.
When they're bored (usually when they are strapped into their respective chairs at snacktime) they fight about it. Isaiah says "Its MY round", Jenny says "no, its not Idaiah's round"  "IT'S MY ROUND" "No! [insert giggle or indignance here, depending on the day], its not Idaiah's round!!" repeat repeat....

Keziah's pretty chill about things, if everyone else is happy. If everyone else is crying, she joins in. Seems to have pretty empathetic little soul.

Isaiah likes playing with Keziah. He calls her, "Kudiah, my baby brudder." Five months of coaching have not changed his mind on the subject.

They had fun in the pool. 

And then I decided to be the most popular mom, and gave them fudgcicles in the pool.

Here I am revelling in my popularity. Keziah wants to know where her fudgcicle is.

 And here's some more gratuitous cuteness...