More Narnia

Liam and I are reading book 5 of the Chronicles of Narnia, and he has started reading book 1 with Kelly (he now has an edition with all 7 books and color illustrations at Gedney View). Here is a map he made a few weeks ago while we were reading book 3, The Horse and His Boy.

Crispin has found something

While working, Crispin and Liam discovered little crabs, a bone that looks like a dog should be chewing on it, and tiny mussel shells. They all tended to flow away with the current.

Mild weather

We finally had what people would think of as spring weather on Whidbey this week and saw the sun a number of times. Although we spent a good deal of time outdoors practicing baseball (Liam wants me to pitch from the pitcher's mound on the field near our house, which means I get a good deal of practice of trying to throw accurately from farther away without hitting my son with a pitch) or watching Crispin zoom around on his scooter at a skateboard park (no one else was there), the boys did also get involved making dams and channels in a small stream that emerges when the tide is low at Maxwelton. To be honest, the low tides and the shape of the beach vary throughout the year, which adds to the fun and interest.

Teppanyaki Birthday

Liam asked to go to Mizu, the teppanyaki restaurant near the Family Fun Center for his birthday. For their birthday song, they ask the birthday boy to join the singers. Liam ate most of his adult-sized meal plus sushi; Crispin ate most of his mother's shrimp and stirred around the meal on his own plate.

Traffic School

On Liam's birthday, the boys, Kelly, and I returned to the Family Fun Center. Crispin returned to traffic school with zeal; he looks forward to the day there are other riders at the Family Fun Center so that he can bump into them (though his brother explains this ride is not supposed to be bumper cars).

Liam turns 8

Liam turned 8 last Monday. Here he is on his birthday morning opening a hand-drawn card from his Aunt Chris. The next day Liam produced hand-drawn thank-you cards.

Tetherball

Liam shows increasing interest in sports at school. He enjoys playing tetherball with kindergarten and first grade friends. Now that the weather is warming, Liam often chooses to jump into a soccer game or basketball game with older students while I teach a music lesson after school. I'm not sure that he is actually faking out a 7th grader and making a lay-up, but it is heartening to see that he feels comfortable right in the mix.