Rudolph-Fact or Fiction?
On the way home from school on Monday Grafton asked, "Mom- is Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer really one of Santa's reindeer or just a nice story?"
Mom responds, "Well, Grafton- I haven't met Santa's reindeer so I'm not sure it Rudolph is a real reindeer." And continued, " Even though I don't know for sure if he's a real reindeer, I love the story about Rudolph and I like to believe that he's real."
Grafton quickly responds, "We won't get to talk to Santa again this year, right Mom?"
Mom replys, "That's right, Grafton."
Grafton suggests, "Next year when I see Santa, I'm going to ask him about Rudolph!"
Santa
Grafton reminded his parents that they should not light the fireplace on Christmas Eve. Santa might get burned when he comes down the chimney.
Snowman
Grafton told us this morning that when it snows we can build a snowman. And that this year we have a top hat to put on the snowman. We have all the right supplies this year!
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Basement Runner
When Dad is working out on the elliptical trainer, Grafton comes running down and joins in by running laps around the staircase in the basement. Not just 2 or 3 times. More like 90. Seriously. He has run laps for 15 minutes straight, at about 10 seconds per lap. Without stopping once. I couldn't believe it the first time I saw him do this. He kept telling me we weren't going to stop until the "race was over."
When Dad is not working out, Grafton will have me time him with a stopwatch. He can hold 6-7 seconds per lap for 10 or so laps.
If Dad can get him to exert this level of effort on a hiking trail, we could start working out together on a regular basis.
When Dad is not working out, Grafton will have me time him with a stopwatch. He can hold 6-7 seconds per lap for 10 or so laps.
If Dad can get him to exert this level of effort on a hiking trail, we could start working out together on a regular basis.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Twitter over Blogger?
With the amount of time I have to blog these days, I should probably just start a twitter account for Grafton, because this is about all I have time to jot down:
Grafton is now:
Grafton is now:
- Willing to pee standing up, toilet height permitting (thanks to his buddy Kayden)
- Checking himself in at daycare on the computer using the mouse
- Able to tie a simple overhand knot
- Learning how to ice skate (2 lessons under his belt); he can shuffle around and get up by himself after falling down.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Bare Mountain
Dad was on daycare pickup duty today, as Mom was away on a work trip. So as usual, when Mom's away the boys will play. This time, Grafton and Dad decided to spend their evening together hiking up Bare Mountain. When I told him the mountain's name, he said "it has that name because there are a lot of bears on this mountain!" I explained that fortunately this wasn't the case, and that its name was due to its (mostly) bald summit.
It's a fairly rocky trail with lots of big rocks to climb up and over, but Grafton did really well. He got a little tired near the end, and started resisting the idea of making it to the top. But he responded well to my encouragement that the summit was getting close. And he made it to the top on his own. We held hands over the tricky spots.
He really enjoyed the view at the top! I remember him telling me (in one form or another), "Dad, you said it would be good!" Meaning that he agreed. We saw the quarry down below, as well as the parking lot where our car was waiting for us. I think he was impressed by the vertical distance between us and the parking lot. He asked what the buildings in the distance were (UMass), and I pointed out where Ivorie, Grahm, and Sawyer's house was, on a distant hillside. And we looked across to Mt. Norwottuck, whose peak was nearly level with our own.
Unfortunately, the bugs were pretty bad at the summit, so we stayed for only a few minutes, and started heading down.
As we began our descent, I asked if he wanted to climb Mt. Norwottuck on our next hike. He said he would and then commented, "and then when we get to the top, we can look over to this mountain and see it from over there." I thought that was a very insightful comment from my little hiker-in-training.
On the descent, we talked a bit about rocks and lava and what the earth is made of, and he seemed genuinely interested. I wish I had recorded him saying the word "geology." It was very cute.
Grafton was getting tired though, and on the way down he started getting a little silly and less careful with his footing. After a few missteps and slips, I took his hand and explained how important it is to be careful when you're out hiking, trying to make him understand that it's hard to get help out here if you get hurt! It seemed to work, and he focused the whole way down. And I held his hand the whole way. Well right up until the bottom, where I thought he would be fine. And then he fell again. A little more dirt on the knees, but no damage done, and we walked hand-in-hand back to the car.
We stopped at the Village Commons on the way home for a bathroom break and, more importantly, to catch the last evening concert of the summer. And there we ran into his friend Landon and his family! After some craziness with his friend, and a carrot & Clif Bar snack, we headed home for dinner and bed time.
It's a fairly rocky trail with lots of big rocks to climb up and over, but Grafton did really well. He got a little tired near the end, and started resisting the idea of making it to the top. But he responded well to my encouragement that the summit was getting close. And he made it to the top on his own. We held hands over the tricky spots.
He really enjoyed the view at the top! I remember him telling me (in one form or another), "Dad, you said it would be good!" Meaning that he agreed. We saw the quarry down below, as well as the parking lot where our car was waiting for us. I think he was impressed by the vertical distance between us and the parking lot. He asked what the buildings in the distance were (UMass), and I pointed out where Ivorie, Grahm, and Sawyer's house was, on a distant hillside. And we looked across to Mt. Norwottuck, whose peak was nearly level with our own.
As we began our descent, I asked if he wanted to climb Mt. Norwottuck on our next hike. He said he would and then commented, "and then when we get to the top, we can look over to this mountain and see it from over there." I thought that was a very insightful comment from my little hiker-in-training.
On the descent, we talked a bit about rocks and lava and what the earth is made of, and he seemed genuinely interested. I wish I had recorded him saying the word "geology." It was very cute.
Grafton was getting tired though, and on the way down he started getting a little silly and less careful with his footing. After a few missteps and slips, I took his hand and explained how important it is to be careful when you're out hiking, trying to make him understand that it's hard to get help out here if you get hurt! It seemed to work, and he focused the whole way down. And I held his hand the whole way. Well right up until the bottom, where I thought he would be fine. And then he fell again. A little more dirt on the knees, but no damage done, and we walked hand-in-hand back to the car.
We stopped at the Village Commons on the way home for a bathroom break and, more importantly, to catch the last evening concert of the summer. And there we ran into his friend Landon and his family! After some craziness with his friend, and a carrot & Clif Bar snack, we headed home for dinner and bed time.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Two Wheelin' Time
When these come off...
and two helpful hands take their place...
and then let go...
here's what happens...
(And, here's what's next.)
Oh, and here are some photos.
Way to Grafton! Keep on ridin' and keep the rubber side down!
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