1. Computer Games
Okay, so this is not creative, but it's new. This is the first time we've let them play games and they are hooked. Primarily, they play simple phonics games for *FREE* at starfall.com. If you don't know about this site, you should check it out. The games are very short so it's pretty guilt-free to let them play one or two letter games each when you know that only means 5-10 minutes of computer time AND it's educational. Poor Benjamin is left out of the fun, despite his best efforts to get in on the action. Now that he is nine months he is crawling and cruising and bothering his brothers like a pro.
The other game they like to play (with Daddy's assistance) is a quirky game called Plants vs. Zombies. They are very serious about this game. Elijah is especially intense about it. Frequently I will hear exclamations like, "Watch out Dad! That zombie is going to get into the house! No, no no! (pause) Okay, phew! Sorry Dad, I just really thought that one was going to get through." All the boys have also taken to talking in zombie voices on occasion. If you see them walking around in a stiff way with glassy eyes and muttering, "Brains!" you'll know why. We've banned the zombie voice in certain situations such as saying prayers. I don't think zombies pray, do you?2. Fun With Mattresses
One advantage of sharing a room with your brothers is that you have more mattresses to play with. These mattresses have been used as Noah's Ark, forts, tents, and slides. Here is a picture of one of the more dangerous uses they found- a teetering bridge...
...and here is a picture of them shortly after falling off said teetering bridge.
In this picture they have just finished creating a giant mattress, blanket, pillow and stuffed animal "hamburger". They are quite proud of their handiwork. Sometimes, brothers are an added secret ingredient inside the hamburger. Today, they are just the sesame seeds on the sesame seed bun.
3. Playdates
These have been few and far between since most of our friends were traveling for the Holidays. I am ashamed to admit that at two of the playdates we did go to I had to leave early because of toddler misbehavior. Of course, the boys didn't make leaving easy. After several attempts at trying to get everyone's coats and boots on before one of the other boys kicked his off and ran away, I had to swallow my pride and carry each tantrum-throwing child out to the van individually without boots or coat and then dress them and buckle them in before returning for another naughty little person. Cabin Fever will do that I guess.
Sometimes, though, friends are just what we needed. Here is a happy picture from the day after Abbie and Will came back from their trip. They all piled into the rocking chair and asked for their picture to be taken. Elijah informed Abbie that it was okay for her to sit with him for the picture because they are engaged.
4. Robots
Several days in a row, the boys dumped out containers of toys in order to put the empty containers on their heads and play robots. Tired of picking up so many toys, I decided to just make designated robot boxes. The boys were thrilled about this idea. I also thought they might be less trouble if they could see instead stumbling around blindly so I cut eye-holes in the boxes for them and helped them decorate their robots. Of course, as soon as they but their new robot boxes on Gabe said, "I have a great idea! Let's crash into each other!" The other boys were amenable. I tried to control their behavior by explaining that robots are programmed and always do what they are told and that these were non-crashing robots. Apparently, the boys have read I, Robot because they explained they were of the evil robot variety and didn't have to listen. Oh well. It was worth a try.
5. Building Starship
Okay, so they didn't build a starship. They built towers with their blocks while singing a Starship song. Yesterday, I almost died laughing as I watched Gabriel, Elijah and David John busily stacking their colored blocks and belting out, "We built these towers on Rock and Roll!" Marc occasionally shows the boys music videos on YouTube so we think that's where this song came from but even if Marc did show it to them it was a long time ago. Their all-time favorite and frequently requested music video is still Boris the Spider by The Who. Boys are so funny.
6. Kicks with Kix
Today they experimented with Kix cereal. They discovered you can make it roll of the table if you blow hard enough, that it makes a very satisfying sound when stomped on and that it is very fun to throw handfuls up into the air and watch them rain down like little yellow hale stones. Most importantly, however, they devised a very amusing way to eat Kix which involved disconnecting some tubing from their toy vacuum and placing one end of the tubing in someone's mouth then loading Kix into the other end so that they rolled down into said mouth. They all took turns in between fits of giggles. Benjamin enjoyed the spectacle and was happy to eat the Kix cereal that was all over the floor. I guess the New Year will be bringing us a new box of Kix since that one was rapidly consumed today. Did I mention I love my kids? Even when they have Cabin Fever? Oh, good. Well, it's true. I do love my boys and I love being at home with them even if things get a little crazy. One thing is for sure, I never know what they will come up with next.
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