Pandemic - Month Three

Here is a photo dump of how Jack spent some of month three of quarantine.

Street hockey air guitar in the driveway.

First s'mores of the season.

Walk in the neighborhood collecting "puffs" then blowing them all over everyones

yards, therefore guaranteeing there will be more next year.

Too much iPad time.

Mulch bag opener extraordinaire.

Nana showed Jack how to whittle.  We now have a lot of smooth sticks around the house.

He also used this skill to make his spear for a school project.  (More on that later.)

Huge box = lots of fun for both Jack and Cleo.

Interesting lunch vehicle.

One of many in the series, "Jack on rocks."  This one is from Lynn Woods.

On a hike near the house.

Jack has figured out he is now big enough to manage a standard-size veggie burger.

Testing out the new water blasters on a hot day.

- S.

Bike Riding Update

Update on the bike riding - first crash.  Thankfully, just some scrapes.

Immediately after the crash, Jack swore off bike riding for a week.  That lasted until the next day.  We encouraged him to take a day off, and so he was back on his bike today.  

Practice, practice, practice!

- S.

Bike Rider

Last weekend Jack became an independent bike rider.  In typical Jack fashion, it was to the point where we wondered if he would ever learn to ride, and then after minimal practice, he just took off. 

The next day Jack was eager to go out and practice again, where he quickly learned how to start pedaling on his own from a stop.  Here is another video and a post-ride interview.

We are very proud of him and glad that now we can go on family bike rides.

- S.

Pandemic - Month Two

I think we are going on about two months of being at home at this point.  Schools throughout the state have been canceled through June.  No word on when Derrick or I will be returning to an office for work, but likely not anytime soon.  Here is a bit more of what has happened since we've all been home.

Easter happened.  There were treats.

And an in-house egg hunt.

And also an actual net for street hockey appeared.

Jack has been learning about the water cycle in science, so there have been lots of

experiments happening.

We've also discovered that Jack is good at digging holes, so we took advantage

of this and planted a few arborvitaes.  

 Jack wanted to go food shopping with me one day.  

After having to wait in line outside for a while, 

he probably won't make that mistake again.

Jack has been taking apart old computers with Nana for fun.

I showed him how to use the wire stripper and he was pretty impressed.

I'll be back at some point with another exciting quarantine update!

- S.

Pandemic

We are into week four of Jack and Derrick working from home, and week three for me.  We're all healthy so far, save some sniffles from the allergy-sufferers, and still trying to get into the swing of all being home together, each with our own schedules we need to adhere to.  

We didn't manage to get Jack to the barber before everything shut down, 

so it was back to a home haircut.  Didn't come out too bad.

Jack's school has been great from the get-go.  He has a daily schedule, his teacher sends videos to accompany each subject, and he has a daily video call with his teacher and classmates.

We try to get outside for walks or bike rides when it isn't raining.

Derrick brought up the old Wii from the basement and Jack has been enjoying that, 

and it gives him a fun way to get some energy out on rainy days.

There are definitely some crazy times, and stressful times, but we're doing our best!

- S.

7.5

About two weeks ago was Jack's half birthday.

 New book about building with cardboard.

New K'nex blaster since Jack still loves to build.

End result.

Oh, and just an inch growth spurt since January (!)

- S.

February Vacation

Jack had an action-packed February vacation.

We went to the Taza chocolate factory in Somerville and did the tour.

The tour included lots of samples, but trying the cacao nibs was not enjoyable for Jack.

Jack and I went to Cambridge to see the Bugs Bunny Film Festival at the Brattle.

Jack was inspired to build when we got home.

We are safe from any roadrunners.

Derrick took Jack on a two-day ski lesson adventure at Bradford.

After day one he was determined not to return because he heard 

he may have to take the chair lift.

We were able to get him to agree to go back on day two and "see what happens."

Well, Jack ended up riding the chair lift multiple times by the end of the day.  

"It was fun!"

Jack's continued level of interest in skiing remains to be seen, but there is a 

school ski trip coming up soon, so that will be a good indicator.

We went to Brookline and saw Cat Video Fest at the Coolidge.

Then stopped at Brookline Booksmith and came home with some Calvin and Hobbes.

Of course there were the usual shenanigans such as building a pirate ship out of 

couch cushions and using light saber parts as swords and a sextant.

- S.