timothyweber.org - kids

Damn door

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:17:56 -0400

[Katherine and Clara return home at the end of the school day.]

K: Oh, good - John took the sheetrock away! Hey - let’s see if he took the door!

[they go to the storage room]

K: He didn’t take the damn door.

C: What damn door? Where’s the damn door?

K: That door right there.

C: That’s a damn door?

K: Yup… that’s the door.

C: What’s a damn door?

K: Uh… This is just a door.

Manos found guilty

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:07:29 -0500

“Manos found guilty
Jury convicts Ithaca woman of murder, abuse of niece, 2”

Life recovers.
But not completely.
Wounds heal into scars, sometimes beautiful scars.
But not always.

Not Pants

Sat, 17 Nov 2007 11:12:47 -0500

[Clara has gone to school in a nice new outfit. Mom picks her up.]

Mom: How’d that new outfit work out?

Clara: I like it.

Mom: How do those new pants feel?

Clara: Mom: they’re not pants.

Mom: Uh… what are they?

Clara: They’re leggings.

Mild cheddar

Sat, 07 Jul 2007 12:00:55 -0400

K: “I’m making eggs. Clara, do you want some?”

C: “Yes.”

T: “Could I put my name in for some too?”

K: “Sure. Do you want cheese on yours?”

T: “Yeah. What cheese do we have?”

K: “I’m having mild cheddar.”

T: “Sounds good.”

C: “I want your old cheddar too!”

First circuit blocks created

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 09:02:09 -0400

Clara has always enjoyed playing with electronic components and breadboards. But putting them together to make an actual circuit is still a bit tough for her at 3, even with lots of coaching - getting the leads into exactly the right hole takes a bit more fine motor coordination than she’s got. So, I was inspired by an article in MAKE magazine* to make her some chunky blocks with screw-eye terminals that she can wire together using alligator clip leads. We’ll see how it goes!

Clara's Remote

Tue, 29 May 2007 08:40:34 -0400

One day a few months ago, my three-year-old daughter Clara and I were sitting in the living room watching a movie. We needed to pause it for some reason. I was working on teaching her to use the remote, so she tried it. But there were so many buttons on our two remotes, she always had a hard time finding the right one. And when she did find it, there were some books on the table in the way, so the infrared signal didn’t get through. After I explained that, she picked it up and pointed it at the TV, from inches away. But the DVD player is near the floor, and the TV’s higher up, so the receiver still couldn’t see. On the next try, the door to the TV hutch, which we have to prop open, got closed, so the signal STILL couldn’t get through. Who knows whether she was still pressing the right button at this point.

So I said, “Hey… Would you like me to make you your own special remote control, that would have just the buttons you need, and that you wouldn’t have to point anywhere?” She said yes.

A little fancy

Sat, 26 May 2007 10:10:16 -0400

[Clara is sick. Timothy wakes her up at night to give her medicine. She never fully awakens. But she says one last thing before closing her eyes.]

Clara: Dad?

Timothy: Yeah.

C: I put that… purple ribbon… on the… doorknob… so it’d be… little fancy.

T: Ah! I see.

C: [snore]

Winnie The Mondegreen

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 20:34:27 -0500

[Timothy and Katherine are discussing the next Star Trek movie, which is entering preproduction.]

Clara: Dad?

T: Yes?

C: I’m puzzled.

Preschool proof

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 15:53:56 -0500

The three-year-old logical process:

According to Thomas The Tank Engine, trains have “drivers.”
According to Busytown, trains have “engineers.”

Front page above the fold again

Thu, 18 Jan 2007 10:41:11 -0500

The local paper doesn’t keep their archives available very long, but here it is.

Second time in three years! Small town, I guess.

Parsnip

Sat, 06 Jan 2007 17:58:54 -0500

Clara begins her useful career as additional memory space for Dad’s brain.

(Clara is setting a play table.)

Clara: Heeeere’s your lunch, Dad.

Dad: Thanks! What is it?

C: It’s soup!

D: Mmm. What’s in this soup?

C: Noodles, and cheese, and… beans and…

D: Carrots?

C: Yes.

D: And split peas? I like split peas.

C: Yes!

D: And, uh… um… what are those white things that look like carrots… you know, they’re so good in soup… what’s the word, I can never remember it…

C: Parsnips?

D: Yes! Parsnips!

C: Yes!

Don't Panic

Thu, 16 Nov 2006 16:12:35 -0500

[Clara is drawing lots of letter H’s on her chalkboard.]

Katherine: Hey, do you want to try drawing some letter K’s?

Clara: Don’t panic, Mom, I’m just drawing H’s right now.

Best Toy

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 09:29:06 -0500

Clara: Daddy, you’re my best toy.

Timothy: Aw, thanks!

C: Come, toy!

[frantic arm gestures]

C: I’m playing with you!

Eleven Roses

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 21:33:54 -0400

Clara and I often get smiles from strangers as we walk through town, with Clara riding in her backpack, singing and swinging her feet. It was a great feeling that she was so happy: just three days ago she woke up from her nap with a fever of 106 degrees, and spent a traumatic evening in the emergency room. Any parent or child is frightened by such an experience, so I felt extra grateful for my sunny little girl on our walk today.

Today, Clara and I were walking home from a local grocery

Hickory Dickory Hat

Sat, 22 Apr 2006 22:40:40 -0400

[Clara is playing. Her mom has given her a small irregularly-shaped piece of leftover fabric with the ends stitched together; she wears it on her head and calls it a hat. She sees a toy clock on a shelf. Starts moving its hands around. Sings:]

Hickory, dickory, dock.
A mouse run up the clock.

[Clara’s “hat” falls off her head. Still singing, in tune:]

My hat fall off,
A mouse run down,
Hickory, dickory, dock.