up and down, too

"Trees aren't right or left. They can go on either side."

current favorite foods, in order

August 2004, age 4

1. salmon
2. blueberries
3. sushi (California rolls)

not in our house

The Maker: Do bad guys say cuss words?
The Mom: Yes.
The Maker: Like...butt, and butthead, and stupid?
The Mom: Yes.
The Maker: They shouldn't say that.

curtain call

After a very long performance of "Our Town"

The Maker: I liked that play a lot.
The Mom: (astonished) Really? What part did you like?
The Maker: The bowing part.

joyboy

September 2004, age 4

You have five stitches on the bottom of your chin. Doesn't seem to slow you down much.

but unrelated to each other, right?

The Maker: You know, a dinosaur is a dinosaur.
The Mom: Yeah.
The Maker: And Gram is Gram.

but unrelated to supper

The Mom: Dad wants us to plan some supper. You have any ideas?
The Maker: Yeah. Let's put balloons up everywhere! That's a good idea.

which stands for "excellent"

On really noticing M&M's for the first time:

A brown: "Hey! It's chocolate on the outside and the inside. And look -- it has a little 'E' on it!"

lock up the good shirts

November 2004, age 4

You love to tie. At any given time you have on at least one scrap fabric cape, plus miscellaneous ropes and strips of material tied all around your body. Typically you have a stick sword in your "sash."

rises singing

If, like the Native Americans, I were to give you a new name for this part of your life, it would be "Rises Singing." It is the bane of your oldest brother's existence; every morning as soon as your eyes open, you begin to sing. And if you aren't singing, you keep up a constant stream of happy chatter to yourself. You are assuredly a morning person.

but not deeper

Meme and Dad took you to the community pool today. You got in at the 2.5 foot deep end of the therapy pool with Meme, then walked over with her to the opposite end, which was 4 feet deep. "I want to see if the water is taller than me," you told her. It was.

project du jour

This one got started as a ball and cup game. You attached a paper cup to a stick, and began throwing a wad of paper into the air, then catching it in the cup. You called it a "flo-bo," which I suppose is as good a name as any.

That same day someone came back from a movie and brought home some leftover popcorn in a giant tub. You saw the tub, and Flo-Bo 2.0 materialized in your brain. Bigger cup, better chances.

more less salt

June 2005, age 4

This is what you told Papa about his grilled chicken, which got a little too salty. "It needs more less salt," you said, and the next time he grilled, you reminded him again. "Use more less salt."

Now we all say it.

and a cow or two

October, 2005, age 5

The Maker: I think I'll be a hunter when I grow up.
The Mom: Hm. What will you hunt?
The Maker: Chickens. Maybe a few pigs.

in the making

Fall 2005, age 5

You are such an engineer. We still keep you well supplied with all kinds of tape, rope, string, twine, and other materials. You hunt up sticks and straws and cloth and paper in order to construct any number of amazing items. You confidently use saws, pitchforks, pocket knives, nail clippers, shovels, Tupperware, and other implements.

the maker

June 9, 2006, age 5

"When I grow up, I'm gonna be a making teacher, you know? Like a make teacher?"

-- after an afternoon helping your friend Sam make crafts