Left to Their Own Devices

Television is both a fun diversion and the bane of my existence. If it gets turned on during the day, I have a tendency to use it as a quick babysitter for things like taking a shower, talking on the phone, writing e-mails, and the like. But sometimes, those "quick" TV breaks become longer or more frequent. And then the whining begins. And so I make them --and make myself-- turn it off. (Television: Teacher. Mother. Secret lover.)

This week, although we have had the TV on at least some time during the day, I've been making a point to turn it off, to shoo them away, to keep the cabinet closed. And it amazes me some things the boys have done on their own. Mind you, these are all COMPLETELY spontaneous and independently motivated. (I was usually busy with a sick, snot-nosed, sad little baby or trying to stay on top of laundry and meals.)

 -- created a car "store" complete with homemade fake paper money, prices on the cars, a parking lot, and sales "desks" (that looked eerily as cluttered and paper-filled as their parents' after only a few hours) Sadly, I did not get a picture before we cleaned it up. Little pieces of paper and crawling babies don't mix.

Calvin was their second customer

-- built an incredibly huge wooden train track that stretches across the entire living room floor and even goes through the inside of their wooden castle

(Ok, so I did make the castle suggestion -- it was sitting there, blocking their way, so I thought they could at least make it useful.)

you can't go over it, you can't go under it, you have to go THROUGH it!

-- made up a game called "Silly Band Treasure Hunt" in which Jacob created a treasure hunt map of the house in order for Ethan to search for and find their box of Silly bands. I think he just liked telling him where to go. The map was cool, though. It even has an "X" to mark the spot!


-- created a "boat train airplane park" with every single toy vehicle we own lined up in neat little rows

the monster cometh

-- at least three blanket forts have been created and demolished since Monday. This afternoon, Jacob was singing a little song "I'm the soft floor repairman. I am coming to your driveway. I repair your soft floor!" I had to ask what that was all about -- apparently he was putting a sleeping bag down in their latest blanket/furniture fort. He was giving them a "soft floor."

Plus, we still have a "DANGER Construction Zone" handmade signs taped all around our house from last week when they were building child-sized cars out of cardboard boxes in the living room.

we're still working on Z's

These are the things I want them to remember about their childhood when they get older. (Not the names of all the characters on their favorite shows, though I still remember those, too, and I turned out alright. I think.)