Mr. Imagination has been unloading the washer for me for quite awhile now. He does a very good job of it. This morning, I had him load it for me with the next batch to be washed. He loved getting to push the buttons to start it going!
Nathan
Beans—or Zebras?
You may think you know what these are. However, I guarantee you are wrong (according to a person in our family!).
I was preparing some beans to eat a week or so ago, and my little helper with the big imagination came along wanting to help. He got himself a table knife, and started cutting the beans, saying, “I cut off the body. I cut off the head.” I asked him what he was cutting up and he informed me, very seriously, “Zebras.”
Head Under!
Our littlest came running in tonight, all excited, and told me, “Head under!” while pointing to his wet hair. I asked where he got his head wet, and he explained and demonstrated that he had done it at our water tank. We get water from the county water scheme, a certain amount per day. It comes into a huge concrete tank which is up on a tower. I guessed that he had stuck his head under a leak, although it’s a slow enough drip that I couldn’t imagine how he got so wet. Later, I found out that one of his older brothers had been getting water from a tap at the bottom of the tower, and that is where he put his head under! This video is him telling me about it the second time.
Baby Lion
Our youngest, as I’ve mentioned before, has a very vivid imagination. One of his big things lately has been that there are lions in the house. He seems very fascinated, and a little scared, of his imaginary lions. The “baby lions” (pronounced yi-yuns), however, are a different story. Usually, they are invisible, cupped in his hand, and he’ll show them to you or let you cuddle them. Sometimes, depending on his mood, he’ll smash (hmash) them, then throw them away and get another. Where did such bloodthirstiness come from? I don’t know!
One day last week, he had a visible “baby lion”—this toy plastic goat! 
In the morning, he wrapped it up in a bunch of small cotton clothes we use for wet wipes, and played with it for quite awhile. After his afternoon nap, though, he couldn’t find it. That was sad! He told me, very sorrowfully, “Yi-yun ate it.” (The big lion ate it.) 
I remembered having seen it on a couch, however, so I told one of the older boys to go look for it. What a relief when it was found! He then located his pile of wipes again, wrapped up his “baby lion”, and all was right in his world again.
The baby lion, aka a goat, is wrapped up in that bundle of cloths.
Hot Wire!
Our 2-year-old has an incredible imagination. He really has a thing about lions right now, and frequently shows us a “baby lion” in his hands (invisible to us). He also loves playing with “hot wires”, which are to keep his animals in. Don’t touch the hot wire–you’ll get shocked!
Videos
We’ve had 28 chicks hatch over the past week–so cute!
Short Stuff learned this week to make vehicle noises, and one afternoon he pretended that a nail was a key and he was starting himself up with it! The first time, he started himself, then raced across the room.
He also practiced standing on his head this week.
I posted this one a couple of weeks ago, but the post has totally disappeared. I read aloud a lot to the children, and record some books onto an mp3 player so they can listen to them again later, and one afternoon this little fellow did the same!
Crooked Grin
A few days ago, Baby invented the funniest crooked grin. It cracks me up every time I see it!
This grin is also typical–especially when he’s coming for a hug!
Guess who liked the pancakes for breakfast!
Pretty pleased with himself–he found a whole roll of fruit leather that someone left on the table.
The two oldest boys were wrestling. They seemed pretty evenly matched!
Peek-a-boo!
For about half an hour, I had only one child in the house! Two of them were working in a local vineyard with our good friends, who manage it, and I let the rest take sandwiches and have a picnic lunch. I stayed in the house by myself (with baby!) to keep the green bean-bottling-process going. While I was eating my lunch and reading something online, baby crawled behind the computer desk and played peek-a-boo from behind the screen.
Dat is Pun!
It’s been a long time since my oldest child at home was three years old! Right now, however, our oldest five are working for our landlord, pulling wild turnips out of a paddock he has planted in Bok Choy for seed. The turnips are blooming right now, but the Bok Choy hasn’t started bolting yet, so it’s very easy to see what to take out. He doesn’t have time to do the job himself, so he stopped by last evening and asked if we could do it. The children were glad to have a paying job, so I took them over just after lunch. That leaves me with only two here–it is quiet in this house! We worked on the bananas I got on special at the supermarket a couple of days ago–the three-year-old cut them and filled a dehydrator tray for me. He was quite excited about that, exclaiming over and over, “Dat is pun! Dis is pun!” (fun). Baby played outside for awhile, and came in with a dirty face, laughing at me as he tugged at my dress. After I tried to get a picture of him (he wouldn’t laugh for the camera), the older one wanted me to take a picture of his face “to see if it was clean” after he washed the chocolate off! And now, I got a message that the children are done for the day and I need to go get them!
Just after I finished writing, as we were heading out to get the older children, three-year-old asked one of his famous questions: “Mom, when is Dad going to have a baby?” “Uh, Daddies don’t have babies.” “But you and Dad are married!” “Sorry, only Mommies have babies.” “Will you have two more babies?” “We’ll see.”
Baby Pictures
Just a couple of pictures of our cutie pie.
I made a chocolate cake for Big Brother’s birthday today, and gave Baby his first-ever beater.
Think he approved?
He’s very popular with his brothers.