What Do Frederick and Emily Do All Day Long?

Emily has been helping out with Frederick for almost five years. What do they get up to in a typical day? Let's find out.

To the Children's Museum

The local children's musum, full of stuff you can wear, climb on and bang, is a favorite place for Frederick.
The portal to the magic inside.
Why do kids always insist on doing this? Thomas was exactly the same.
Why does the red car have lips?

A Quick Dip in the Pool

The day is getting warm so a trip to the pool is next.
Yes, just right, Frederick thinks.

This welcoming oasis is in Emily's mom's backyard. I am told that the two of them often go there to unwind on a warm day. (Actually, Frederick was quite scared of the water at the start of the summer and wouldn't go in unless Emily was holding on to him but, as you can see here, is getting quite confident in the water.)

Home for Lunch and Some Chicka, Chicka

Home for a quick pit stop, Frederick gets lunch and spends a bit of time working on his Chicka, Chicka 1, 2, 3 piece. I have no idea how many hours it took to cut out all these pieces, but more time than I would spend on the project I am certain.

And Now, the Park

This place looks full of promise. I have no idea where this park is, since Emily often takes Frederick to places near where she grew up. All part of Frederick's secret life.

The Slide

Once anxious of slides, Frederick now proves that they are no big deal

Not Sure What These Things Are

but Frederick seems to enjoy them. And they much develop some skill, after all, since kids can't do anything that is simply pleasurable for its own sake.

Mount Everest is Next

Frederick has discovered the thrill of heights. I have lately discovered standing on our piano, scaling the fireplace mantel, and clambering up out bookshelves. Once he masters parkour, I fear we may never see him again.

Going home, at last

After yet another wardrobe change, Frederick heads for home. I think I now know why Frederick is so tired when we get home from work.

Birthday Bash

Thomas is so excited about becoming 10!!! No, wait, he's excited about getting presents.

Yeah! A "grow your own 1 up mushroom"! Who doesn't want such a thing?
" Hmm," Frederick thinks, "I can't help but notice that I'm not getting anything."
Oooh! A knitting book! Thomas actually does appreciate such a thing (I wonder where he gets that from!) and has already mentioned a few knitting projects he has planned for the winter. (One is a 1 Up mushroom sweater, another a Mario sweater, another a yoshi sweater. I think I see a patter emerging. What's wrong with Zork, I'd like to know.)
25 cans of silly string--whoopee! But why is it that the person who BUYS the silly string is never the one that ends up cleaning it off the flowers, trampoline, grass....?

Make a Wish!

He really is 10--the cake don't lie. Thomas realized later that he forgot to make a wish. (Note silly string in hair. Grrr.)

Pinata Insanity

Near the end of the party, we brought out the favorite--the pinata. Thomas, because he is the birthday boy, gets the first whack.

Jimmy gets a turn.
Sofi then gets a go.
Grandma, fed up with watching their swings get nowhere, shows them how it's done.
About 20 whacks later, the pinata finally burst open and candy and "prizes" (like tubs of goo and crappy whistles) flew everywhere. The kids then spent about 30 minutes sorting, eating, and resorting.

sipod!

A package arrived for me on Wednesday containing a miraculous device. I say miraculous, because it appears to need no batteries and works equally well under normal circumstances or underwater. And, indeed, with or without headphones! If I have any complaint it might be the rather narrow range of music available, but this is a small quibble. Can anyone truly tire of "Pop Goes the Weasel"? Certainly not THIS listener:



I must relate, though, that after expressing disappointment that Matthew did not actually construct every component (music box innards, headphones, the lot) from their component atoms, Thomas went very quiet for a while and said (after about 20 Pop Goes the Weasels) "do you think Matthew would make me a Thomaspod?"

Small Stories

1: A few days ago after Thomas and I had gone running* together in the morning (I ask him every time I head out but so far only once has he rolled out of bed to join me) we were climbing up a hill surrounding the nearby high school track, he said with a tremor in his voice, "I think when I am 110 and dying of cancer I am going to turn on my blinker and then not turn, just to see what happens." If he hadn't been on the verge of tears at the thought of his own mortality (joined with the thought of his future self at the point of having so little to live for that crazed naughtiness was the only thing left) I would have laughed.

*"running" should be understood to mean "moving, usually walking, occasionally jogging with rare and very brief bursts of speed"

2: Yesterday Frederick was rummaging through our fridge and cabinets, clearly searching for something delicious and finding nothing that would satisfy, so I went in and asked him what he wanted. Hardly daring to have hope, he said (in a very small voice, "Cookie." [Cookies--at least the kind he craves, namely dark chocolate digestives--are taboo since he can't digest wheat gluten.] I showed him what we had, gluten free oatmeal cookies (the only postiive word for them is "worthy") and rice cakes (I know, hardly cookies, but they are round and crunchy). He stared at them sadly and then, with a tremor in his voice, said, "Cookie." I explained again that we had no cookies, just oatmeal and rice. With tears in his eyes, he whispered "Dammit," and sadly walked away.