Matthew is at that age now. His mind can grasp really subtle ideas, but he doesn't quite have the vocabulary to express it. This morning all the kids were looking for videos with lyrics on YouTube, so I suggested an Irish song by the Battlefield Band called One More Chorus. While it was playing Matthew got a sad look in his eyes as he said, "This song remembers me about Grandma Sheila." It would help to know that my mother is Irish.
I have always found it really hard to correct these little mistakes just because they are so cute. Nicholas and Erin both were quite good at pulling out little moments of wisdom like this as well, I just was not as good at keeping track back then.
Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Erin's Myth
Erin had to write a myth for school, they are studying Greek and Roman mythology. I had to type it up for her last night, so I've copied it here for you all to enjoy...
Amos’ Journey
“Amos! Oh, Amos!” said Zeta. “Where are you Amos?” Zeta was the Goddess of Plants and Green Life. “There you are! I was looking for you. Where have you been?”
“I have been reading,” said Amos. Amos was Zeta’s son. He could fly, and he had Telekinesis. Telekinesis is when a person can move things with their mind.
“What have you been reading about Amos?” asked Zeta.
“Oh, I have been reading about this guy and his enemies and all sorts of things.”
Zeta asked “So who is this man you have been reading about?”
“Let me look… here it is, it says his name is The Destroyer.”
Zeta yelled “What!” She rushed over to the book so fast that she knocked it over. She frantically flipped through the pages. She was panting as hard as a dog after a long run. Zeta found the page and she became very still and fell into a long, long stare.
“Mom! Mom!” Amos’ voice was filled with anxiety. He asked her why she reacted that way. She started to tell him about how she and his father were enemies of The Destroyer, and how his father had been killed. “The Destroyer is the worst person you will ever meet!” Zeta said fiercely.
Amos asked “Where does this monster live?”
Zeta scanned through the book to see if there was a map. “There it is, The Destroyer’s Kingdom,” she mumbled. “He has a necklace of mine given to me by your father. He stole it from us when he battled your father. It contains all of our powers. Its beautiful colors are almost blinding to look at, that seem to be lit from inside.”
Amos stepped up and bravely shouted, “I’m going to seek for it Mother.” Soon everything got very quiet.
Zeta looked at him for a long while, but finally agreed for him to go. She told him to take the book for a map, and his father’s best sword. He said goodbye to his mother, picked two of his best guards to watch over Zeta, then set off. It would only take him about one day to get there, so on the way, he looked through the pages to find out about The Destroyer.
The book said that The Destroyer couldn’t control anything without Zeta’s necklace. Amos thought about what had happened to his father. Amos soon began to think more and more about what would happen to him if he didn’t defeat The Destroyer. He decided to just clear his mind of all that stuff and he found himself a nice place to rest for the night.
The next morning he arrived at the kingdom. Amos secretly joined the crowds. Sneaking into the kingdom, he found a uniform left to the side. The uniform looked like the usual thing everyone was wearing, so he hoped he could just find out where The Destroyer was and get the necklace. Looking around, he found a room with the name “The Destroyer’s Room” carved into the middle of the door. He saw someone walk up to the door and get electrocuted when they touched the handle. Amos used his Telekinesis to open the door. As he was walking in, The Destroyer was polishing the stolen necklace. He said to Amos, “So you have finally come for it. I’ve been waiting years for this!”
Amos looked at him with fear and rage at the same time. “Hand it over, you stole that from my mother and father!” Amos yelled.
“Ha Ha ha!” laughed The Destroyer. “Now what makes you think I will do that?” The Destroyer stood up and said, “I’ll make you a deal. We will battle. If you beat me you keep the necklace and I leave forever. If I win, you and your mother die like your father!”
“Deal!” agreed Amos.
They made their way out into a ring at the back of the kingdom. The Destroyer had no idea of the powers Amos had, or the weapons. Amos’ heart was racing. The Destroyer all of the sudden pulled out a humongous scepter and pointed straight at Amos. He waved it and electrocuted Amos with it. Amos flew back and hit the edge of the ring. For about 3 to 4 minutes he was just laying there. When he finally stood back up, he used his telekinesis and picked the scepter up and slammed it across The Destroyer’s back. He let out a great cry and turned around and looked at Amos with anger. He took the scepter and knocked Amos down to the ground. Amos struggled to get up and he pulled his sword out and swung as hard as he could at The Destroyer. As the Destroyer fell to the ground, so did Amos. The Destroyer dropped the necklace and struggled to say, “Curse you, Amos!”
Amos looked up and started to scream, “Yes, I beat the Destroyer!” When he looked over and grabbed the necklace and started his immediate journey home.
When he finally arrived home, he was bruised and scratched. But Amos didn’t care. All he cared about was how his mother would react to what had happened. He looked around the house for her and found her reading in the library.
“Amos!” Zeta cried. They started to hug and she asked, “Well, did you defeat the Destroyer?!”
He took a deep breath and shouted “Yes!” They started to rejoice and he told her all about what had happened. She got her powers back, and she took the necklace and set it at the very top of the world. Now as you look up and see the Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights, you know where they come from.
Amos’ Journey
“Amos! Oh, Amos!” said Zeta. “Where are you Amos?” Zeta was the Goddess of Plants and Green Life. “There you are! I was looking for you. Where have you been?”
“I have been reading,” said Amos. Amos was Zeta’s son. He could fly, and he had Telekinesis. Telekinesis is when a person can move things with their mind.
“What have you been reading about Amos?” asked Zeta.
“Oh, I have been reading about this guy and his enemies and all sorts of things.”
Zeta asked “So who is this man you have been reading about?”
“Let me look… here it is, it says his name is The Destroyer.”
Zeta yelled “What!” She rushed over to the book so fast that she knocked it over. She frantically flipped through the pages. She was panting as hard as a dog after a long run. Zeta found the page and she became very still and fell into a long, long stare.
“Mom! Mom!” Amos’ voice was filled with anxiety. He asked her why she reacted that way. She started to tell him about how she and his father were enemies of The Destroyer, and how his father had been killed. “The Destroyer is the worst person you will ever meet!” Zeta said fiercely.
Amos asked “Where does this monster live?”
Zeta scanned through the book to see if there was a map. “There it is, The Destroyer’s Kingdom,” she mumbled. “He has a necklace of mine given to me by your father. He stole it from us when he battled your father. It contains all of our powers. Its beautiful colors are almost blinding to look at, that seem to be lit from inside.”
Amos stepped up and bravely shouted, “I’m going to seek for it Mother.” Soon everything got very quiet.
Zeta looked at him for a long while, but finally agreed for him to go. She told him to take the book for a map, and his father’s best sword. He said goodbye to his mother, picked two of his best guards to watch over Zeta, then set off. It would only take him about one day to get there, so on the way, he looked through the pages to find out about The Destroyer.
The book said that The Destroyer couldn’t control anything without Zeta’s necklace. Amos thought about what had happened to his father. Amos soon began to think more and more about what would happen to him if he didn’t defeat The Destroyer. He decided to just clear his mind of all that stuff and he found himself a nice place to rest for the night.
The next morning he arrived at the kingdom. Amos secretly joined the crowds. Sneaking into the kingdom, he found a uniform left to the side. The uniform looked like the usual thing everyone was wearing, so he hoped he could just find out where The Destroyer was and get the necklace. Looking around, he found a room with the name “The Destroyer’s Room” carved into the middle of the door. He saw someone walk up to the door and get electrocuted when they touched the handle. Amos used his Telekinesis to open the door. As he was walking in, The Destroyer was polishing the stolen necklace. He said to Amos, “So you have finally come for it. I’ve been waiting years for this!”
Amos looked at him with fear and rage at the same time. “Hand it over, you stole that from my mother and father!” Amos yelled.
“Ha Ha ha!” laughed The Destroyer. “Now what makes you think I will do that?” The Destroyer stood up and said, “I’ll make you a deal. We will battle. If you beat me you keep the necklace and I leave forever. If I win, you and your mother die like your father!”
“Deal!” agreed Amos.
They made their way out into a ring at the back of the kingdom. The Destroyer had no idea of the powers Amos had, or the weapons. Amos’ heart was racing. The Destroyer all of the sudden pulled out a humongous scepter and pointed straight at Amos. He waved it and electrocuted Amos with it. Amos flew back and hit the edge of the ring. For about 3 to 4 minutes he was just laying there. When he finally stood back up, he used his telekinesis and picked the scepter up and slammed it across The Destroyer’s back. He let out a great cry and turned around and looked at Amos with anger. He took the scepter and knocked Amos down to the ground. Amos struggled to get up and he pulled his sword out and swung as hard as he could at The Destroyer. As the Destroyer fell to the ground, so did Amos. The Destroyer dropped the necklace and struggled to say, “Curse you, Amos!”
Amos looked up and started to scream, “Yes, I beat the Destroyer!” When he looked over and grabbed the necklace and started his immediate journey home.
When he finally arrived home, he was bruised and scratched. But Amos didn’t care. All he cared about was how his mother would react to what had happened. He looked around the house for her and found her reading in the library.
“Amos!” Zeta cried. They started to hug and she asked, “Well, did you defeat the Destroyer?!”
He took a deep breath and shouted “Yes!” They started to rejoice and he told her all about what had happened. She got her powers back, and she took the necklace and set it at the very top of the world. Now as you look up and see the Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights, you know where they come from.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Nicholas' World
So I'm driving to the doctor with Nicholas, and for some reason we get on the Bicentennial. I was telling him how I saw the train the Spirit of 76, when I was 6, and the country was 200 years old. I then did some math (it hurt more than usual) and told him the US is now 232 years old. So he said "Wow, almost 300!" I almost choked, and said "Are you kidding? It's not even close to 250!" He paused for a good 3 seconds, contemplating me, and calmly says, in a very serious voice "It is in my world!"
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Matthew's Adenoids...
Okay, weird title, I know.
Yesterday, Matthew had his Adenoids removed, and tubes put in his ears. He was quite the trooper, and didn't really have any trouble going in for the surgery. While I was in the recovery room with him, he was laying on the bed with his eyes closed, and he started giggling. He opened his eyes and saw me, saying "I was laughing at the man, daddy." So I asked him "Man? What man?" Matthew answered "The man is upside down, daddy, and he has no eyes, and a scribble scrabble nose." Then he closed his eyes for a few seconds again. When he opened them up again a few seconds later, he looked totally serious, like he was concentrating really hard on something and he said "Daddy, why does this keep happening to me?!?!" Then his head fell back and he was asleep for another 15 minutes or so. It was so pitiful. He was grabbing for ghosts in front of him later too, but that was all in the recovery room. When we got home, he laid down on our bed, and slept for a good 3 or 4 hours. When he got up, he was ready to go. He kept wanting to run around, and would get mad at us for telling him to sit down. I'm thinking the hardest part of the recovery will be keeping him calm for this first week.
Yesterday, Matthew had his Adenoids removed, and tubes put in his ears. He was quite the trooper, and didn't really have any trouble going in for the surgery. While I was in the recovery room with him, he was laying on the bed with his eyes closed, and he started giggling. He opened his eyes and saw me, saying "I was laughing at the man, daddy." So I asked him "Man? What man?" Matthew answered "The man is upside down, daddy, and he has no eyes, and a scribble scrabble nose." Then he closed his eyes for a few seconds again. When he opened them up again a few seconds later, he looked totally serious, like he was concentrating really hard on something and he said "Daddy, why does this keep happening to me?!?!" Then his head fell back and he was asleep for another 15 minutes or so. It was so pitiful. He was grabbing for ghosts in front of him later too, but that was all in the recovery room. When we got home, he laid down on our bed, and slept for a good 3 or 4 hours. When he got up, he was ready to go. He kept wanting to run around, and would get mad at us for telling him to sit down. I'm thinking the hardest part of the recovery will be keeping him calm for this first week.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Hailey learns to drive?
I was reading to Hailey last night, when all of the sudden she jumps up and says "Oh no! Daddy! I forgot to turn off my car!" I had no idea what she was talking about, so I just said "Well, baby, you better turn it off, you don't want to waste gas!" She jumped down, went to the post at the foot of the bed, and that's when I saw the play keys. She found a way to put the keys into a little hole in the top of the post. She grabbed the keys, turned them, then pulled them out of the hole. She jumped up on the bed, and said "Okay, daddy" but it took me a while to stop giggling.
Well, needless to say, this photo isn't from that evening, this was just a few days ago, when Erin fixed up Hailey's hair and took some pictures.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
How do you pick up a duck?
No pictures to speak of this time. But another golden moment for Matthew. This morning, we were watching Noggin, and they had some ducks on swimming in a pond. I'll just relate the dialogue:
Matthew: Daddy, how do you pick up a duck?
Dad: Well, I never really thought about it, but I think you would grab it under the chest and feet with one hand, and put the other on top of its back (showing him more than telling)
M: Maybe. I think we need to go to the duck farm.
D: The duck farm?
M: Then we can watch REAL CLOSELY, and then we'll KNOW how to pick up a duck.
D: Well, Matthew, I think that would be perfect. Who would know better than a Duck Farm.
He's just too much. I'm sure it's always gonna be one of those "You had to be there with your own kid" kind of thing, but I just can't help it...
Matthew: Daddy, how do you pick up a duck?
Dad: Well, I never really thought about it, but I think you would grab it under the chest and feet with one hand, and put the other on top of its back (showing him more than telling)
M: Maybe. I think we need to go to the duck farm.
D: The duck farm?
M: Then we can watch REAL CLOSELY, and then we'll KNOW how to pick up a duck.
D: Well, Matthew, I think that would be perfect. Who would know better than a Duck Farm.
He's just too much. I'm sure it's always gonna be one of those "You had to be there with your own kid" kind of thing, but I just can't help it...
Monday, June 2, 2008
Matthew's Graduation
Matthew was so cute. They actually had caps and gowns. I know its incredibly cheesy, but I can't help being a proud dad. They sang songs, and did a little presentation (that was chaos, as anything with 4 and 5 year olds will be) but it was really funny. Not as funny as the last little show they put on: when they were singing, Matthew was jamming on the air guitar through the "rockin" parts of the song. It was just too funny. This time he was very serious, although he gave Erin and Nicholas a wave in the audience. Unfortunately I was in Atlanta for a job, but I got to see the video. I'll be posting them on youtube eventually, but this is gonna be a pretty busy week, so it may take some time!
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Matthew Speaks, the Nation Listens
Well, its been many months and I won't bother with an explanation. If you know me you wont need one anyway.
So on to the heart of the matter. I guess I need to be more cognizant of what Matthew watches on TV. He is absorbing things at a much deeper level than I thought a four year old capable of. He was in the car with Mom, and saw a rather beat up truck, that had recently been in an accident. He looks at her, and says, "Wow mommy, that truck is really beat up. They need to call Nationwide."
If I could keep it to insurance commercials, I guess it wouldn't be too bad, although he'd end up a bit neurotic. BUT with all the crap out there, it's scary to think of what he could end up absorbing if we ever really lose track of what's on. Although, you have to admit, he is a cute little bugger, even when he's being precocious.
James
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