Stephen's creations

Pretending to be R2D2-- or a paraplegic phantom of the opera.

Inventions before school.

Stephen made a dragon... Little bro watches.

He wanted orange juice, so I let him make some.

Making his protege. Note that all Rockam's clothes are on the right way; this is because Steve dressed him! 

April catch-up part two

Rockam in Child's Pose.

Stephen in Look What I Made with Legos Pose.

Rockam within 60 seconds of painting.

Brothers at the park

Easter Sunday at stephen's Explorers class 

Stephen's superhero creation

Meet "Faucet-Man" and his faucetmobile, fighting crime by spraying water on the bad guys and helping innocent children by filling up their bathtubs after bad guys have stolen the water.

Valentine's Day crafting

Stephen worked hard to make personalized valentines for all his classmates. 

Popcorn art

Stephen wanted me to take a picture of the elephant he made out of popcorn.

That way, he could eat it. 

My little artist

Stephen and I attended a fundraiser painting party last night at church. Stephen really enjoyed it and has been admiring his painting all day. 

Stephen the thinker

Lately Stephen has been saying some really cute things... On Saturday, I took him and Rockam to Aldi, and as I was unloading the shopping cart I noticed my bagged salads were squished beneath other items. I was fretting about my lettuce when Stephen tried to comfort me: "Mom, it will be ok. You'll still enjoy your lettuce, right?" 

"Yeah, Steve, it's really not that bad. I'll still be able to eat it."

"Yeah. Just like God still loves us even when we're naughty. It's just like that," my son says.

I laugh and say, "yep, just like that."

Then he starts laughing at himself his analogy, and says "that's kind of silly. God did that because He likes to laugh!"

Tonight he was talking about how he would have a wife when he grows up. Then he asked me if God would make his wife. "How does God make her head?" This was followed by a series of questions... How does God make her neck, shoulders, stomach, legs, hands, fingers, ankles, feet and toes! Then he lamented that he had to grow up before he could marry his wife. With that, Steve sits down on the kitchen floor, hugging his knees and says, "I'm NEVER going to have a wife!!!" And puts on this truly dejected look. 

When your five, I suppose adulthood does seem an eternity away! I bent down to comfort my son... Then joe calls him into the living room to Skype with nonna and papa. In typical Non Sequitur Stephen fashion he springs to his feet and shouts "nonna! Papa! I'm going to be a hamster!!!" And with that happy thought, all is well in the world again. 

Stephen, my mad scientist

"Wook! Dare's a Nockam paintin'!"

That's what Rockam said when he saw this picture if himself :)

 

After reading a blog post over at A Holy Experience, by one of my favorite Christian authors/bloggers Ann Voskamp, I was inspired to take steps toward forming a new Parrino tradition: Giving on our birthdays as well as enjoying a flood of gifts. So, Thursday morning, before my folks arrived with said flood of gifts, I decided to get them excited about creating and buying some gifts for Grammy and Gramps. Stephen jumped in with enthusiasm, painting a dinosaur, a map, a flower and other pictures. Then, after cleaning up from the art session, we headed to Dollar Tree, where the kids were allowed to pick out two presents each. Most of the gifts were purchased with the hopes of keeping them... but we're making steps toward finding joy in giving :)

 

 

Stephen in his element

Making a "driving robot"

Stephen and Gerald

 Stephen in his element, teaching his preschool mascot, Gerald the Giraffe, how to make Transformers out of Lego Duplos. Stephen is getting pretty good at making interesting creations. They all have names and many of them are his interpretation of a particular toy that he wants.

 

 Stephen let Gerald sleep in.

 

And he worked hard to keep little brother away...

 



 

Riding on the rocking moose.

Catching up

So, I'm very behind on posting some of these shots from the end of last month and the beginning of June. But the double entendre is that each of these photos shows how Rockam is catching up to his big brother--or at least he tries to!

 Playing tent together. Right after this photo Rockam caused the whole thing to collapse, much to Stephen's ire.

Watching a hailstorm together.

Being "super" together.

Rockam always enjoys being Stephen's side-kick!

A little morning artwork

"I make a tunnel!"

Where I go, Stephen is not far behind. Sunday morning I was trying to fold laundry on the bed when Stephen got an ingenious idea. "I make a tunnel! I go in!" he said as he burrowed under the bed spread. It was too cute, so I had to take some pictures.  Unfortunately, you'll see the messy clothes pile in disarray.