Tag: Things kids say

A Cute Kid saying and January Haikus

View from my window.

The six year old’s favorite hat is this quilted topper that was a hand-me down from friends. It is white and has a furry inside, which means it gets all dirty and matted. I would wash it, but it’s his favorite hat, and I’d rather him wear a dirty hat, than no hat at all.

Okay, but the fuuuuuuuniest thing about this hat, the things that brings me so much joy, is that there are two enormous pompoms attached to the earflaps of his hat. The six year old is very particular that the pom poms get tucked into the coat when he puts his coat on. It’s a whole process, because the pompoms need to be tucked in before the coat can be zipped.

Which is why most mornings, as we are getting ready to go to school, I have a six year old yelling at me, “Mom! You need to tuck my balls in.”

It is very hard to comply with a straight face.

    On to haikus….

    There is a group, based in the UK called 64 Million Artists, and every January they send out a daily creative prompt. I don’t do all of them – this year I did 17 of the 31 challenges, but I liked having an invitation in my inbox every day to do something creative, either a bit of free journaling, or sketch, or a bit of poetry. So January’s Haikus are based on prompts form the January Challenge.

    Prompt: Write an ode to ordinary things
    Cup, pen, socks, water
    The essential wonder
    Of ordinary things

    Prompt: Add a face to an ordinary object

    My Yeti Rambler. Faithful winter companion.

    Prompt: What is your pick me up?
    Leave my desk. Go out.
    The air lifts me just enough,
    Over humps and bumps

    Prompt: Use a spillage or stain or something imperfect to inspire your creativity

    It’s actually Taki dust….

    An orange beacon
    Cheeto dust stains my fingers.
    My sneaky snacking

    Bonus Haiku for this strange non-wintery weather.
    Flaky flurries blow
    Evidence of chilly air
    Quickly disappear

    I’m looking for another creative challenge for February, maybe some drawing prompts. I find I like having a mini creative challenge every day. This one looks fun. Or this one. Or this random prompt generator. Or maybe a photography challenge since February looks to be a pretty full month for me and snapping a photo might be easier than sitting down to sketch.

    What is ode-worth in your life these days? Have you created anything lately?

    A Cute Kid Sayings and Three Haikus

    Tree Trimming

    We put up our Christmas tree this week, something that takes several days to complete. We get the tree one day. Then the lights go on, often when the tree comes home, but sometimes not. Then the ornaments go on. Then a few days later we remember to put the ornaments from our wedding on.

    Most of our ornaments come from the Husband’s family. My late mother-in-law loved Christmas ornaments, and the Husband and his sister would get a new ornament every year. When my in laws passed away, we inherited all the ornaments, mostly because his sister lived abroad and it would have been difficult to get the ornaments to her. We have two large bins of ornaments and they run the gamut from classic balls to Romulan War Ships that light up.

    The process has not been with not without its casualties. The baby managed to break at least three ornaments so far. I hate that the breakage happens, but I suppose banning kids from tree trimming is not an option.

    The morning after we hung ornaments, the five year old said to me:
    “Decorating the Christmas tree is an activity for everyone, not just grown ups. That’s why the Christmas tree has high branches and low branches!”

    I love his five year old brain.

    Three Haikus from This Cold week:

    Waiting for the bus
    4pm. Winter dusk brings
    Moonrise and pink skies.

    “Can you touch the sky?”
    He asks of the bare tree limbs
    Poking at the clouds.

    Drafty door, splinters.
    It’s a little bit broken,
    Pieces we call home.