ice cube painting

Continuing in Fine Arts education, Elijah and I enjoyed an afternoon’s activity of ice cube painting, at least until my young artist’s fingers were too cold to continue.
What we did: In an ice cube tray, filled with water (just full enough that the squares did not overflow into each other), we added a few drops of food coloring to each section, stirring with a toothpick.  We carefully placed the tray in the freezer, and that afternoon we simply popped out the ice cubes and placed them on a divided plate (to make it easier to grasp.)

As the ice cubes melted a little, they left colorful streaks on the paper.

At first Elijah was concerned to watch his fingers take on a new color, but after a while he decided it was “Pretty.”  It does mostly wash off with soap and water.  A good bath took care of the rest. 

“Cold!”
That night, when David got him ready for his bath, he showed me Elijah’s belly, saying “What is this?!” It was streaked with color from where Elijah wiped his cold fingers off on his belly!

We decided to switch to crayons to finish the picture.
This would make a perfect summer craft, especially outside, when holding an ice cube would feel good and cooling, not chilling.
My friend Karen came up with the even better idea of freezing a toothpick (or popsicle stick) into the ice cubes so that the little artist could hold onto something not quite so cold and maybe not have quite as “colored” fingers!

The art of distraction

Jamie’s been away these past few days to a wedding of one of her close friends, so the boys have been going solo. If Eli has much down time he begins to realize that mama is not around and things go down hill from there. So I’ve been attempting to distract him for every minute of his waking moments. We’ve been to the zoo, the botanic gardens, the park, and out to eat. Below are a few of the pictures from our adventures.

Eli posing in front of the flamingos and staring up at a monkey.

At the botanic gardens we watched their miniature train setup and then road a much larger train. 

Eli checking out the zebras and pointing out a sea lion.

                   

The picture at the left is from breakfast at Wrecks, and a skid steer I got him at Cracker Barrel (I couldn’t resist as the skid steer is my favorite tractor and it was only 5 bucks, he also didn’t have one in his collection).

Spring is here!

We’re not so used to Spring in March, but I guess in the Southwest it comes earlier. Below are a few pictures that we took of our house and some of the flowers around it.

This meets this week's topic for the Weekly Photo Challenge: Spring!

burping monkey

Elijah entertained himself in the car this morning by making burping noises and roaring with laughter, announcing “Nana burp!”  Nana (the monkey) burped the entire way to play group.  We’re going to have to teach that monkey some manners.

an unusual bedtime story request

Usually when we put Elijah to bed we sing, though sometimes he requests a story. He will tell us the elements he wants in the story and David or I will make up a story with those topics. A favorite is Curious George and the backhoe. The other night it was Curious George eats pad thai (a favorite meal of our little man.) Tonight he asked for a story. I asked him what he wanted it to be about, and he answered “Dirt.” Yes, he is all boy.

the best medicine

Poor Elijah was sick this February with RSV and a double ear infection.  He just wanted to be held, and looked so miserable and lifeless.  We watched a lot of Baby Einstein and Baby Signing Time DVDs from the library, with him snuggled in my lap, coughing and wheezing.

I knew something was very wrong when at the doctor’s office, he fell asleep on the examining table, atypical for our peppy and social toddler.  They sent home a nebulizer for breathing treatments, and after the first experience when he screamed the entire time, he actually seemed to like it.  I think it made him feel better.  He did insist that his monkey (“Nana”) would get “medicine,” too, and put the face mask up to his monkey’s mouth.  “Nana” is taking on more and more personality.

We waited in line for a long time at the pharmacy, with poor Elijah wilting before my eyes.  Then… the happy moment.  The pharmacist gave Elijah a lollipop.  His first one.  He put it in his mouth, his eyes got wide and he cheered “Mmmmm!! Mmmmm!!! Yummy!”  He sang about his lollipop all the way home (I taught him the Oldies song “Lollipop, Lollipop, oh lolly, Lollipop!”  He knows when to yell “POP!”)

The lollipop perked him up more than the medicine, I think.  It brought a smile, and a spring to his step for a little while.  The best medicine.

train set

Yikes!  A very late post…  I never hit “publish.”  Oops!

Elijah got a train set (“Choo-choo!!”) for Christmas, thanks to the contributions of some family members!  He loves it.  I love it.  We were also able to pick up a train table (with even more track!) for a song on Craigslist, so now he has quite the set-up.  He loves setting up the track, (though he can’t do it well yet) and making the trains go up and down on the hills.

Every now and then, he has what we call a “Calvin” moment (think “Calvin and Hobbes.”)

 

Elijah suddenly becomes like a T-Rex approaching his set, grabbing at track and yanking it off, chortling at the destruction he is causing.

He slams the bridges to the ground (the track makes a spectacular noise as it hits our hardwood floor.  Elijah loves that.)  Note: “Nana” the Monkey is his accomplice in this particular incident. We have photographic evidence.

Then he’ll survey his mess with satisfaction and look at me and say, “Uh-oh, choo-choo!”  As if to say, “I don’t know what happened, Mom, but the trains need to be set up again.”

He also carefully sets up the trains on the “track” behind the couch.

A late-but-not-forgotten “Thank you!” to everyone involved in getting Elijah this Christmas gift!

Otten’s Visit: Petroglyphs and Puye Cliffs

This past month we were blessed to have Dad and Mom Otten visit us for a week in our new home here in ABQ. It was a great time of being together…

and exploring a new part of the US. The first night they arrived we went to our favorite restaurant El Pinto for some authentic New Mexican. Mom and Dad tried all the types of green and red chilies.
We also visited the petroglyphs located outside ABQ. The petroglyphs were paintings by local tribes back in the 1200’s on the volcanic rock. As the sun bleached the rock the area where the paintings were was left unbleached leaving the signs we see today. (its also the proof that aliens came to New Mexico, look at the bottom picture on the left).
         
 
We also took a tram up to the top of the Sandia Mountain for hiking in the snow, and visited the Puye Cliffs.


  


Overall it was a great time of being together.