Ode to Oaklen - Sept 2009

Here's another round of Ode to Oaklen...

Imagination
I wasn't one of those kids with a huge imagination, so now as an adult I get to enjoy Oaklen's imagination.

Who needs toys when a 3-yr-old can do this?

Turn a paper bag into an organ
Use a foam block as an inside lawnmower
Make the laundry basket into Scuffy the tug boat
Use my bedspread as a human ball
Open and close the closet as a cuckoo clock
Use cowboy boots and a fire hat for a fireman costume with his "fire package" backpack.
Aboard the stairs to drive his airplane (with a seatbelt and everything)

I've heard him playing with his Bob the Builder & Wendy figurines. He speaks in narrative like: " 'Oh no' said Bob. 'I'm coming to help' Wendy yelled." I can tell he's used to to reading books.


My little munchie
He's still always trying to get into the fridge and eat. He's made quesadillas, waffles, and has cracked eggs all by himself.

Here he is one morning with a bunch of string cheese. I got up early to go to the temple and came home to see him awake, sitting on the couch, happily eating cheese. I managed to catch him when he was on his second string cheese.

Oaklen is pretty good at cracking eggs. He doesn't even get any shell in it. This picture shows that he cracked an egg and the yolk made a heart shape. Isn't life grand? :)
One Sunday morning I got up and heard Oaklen downstairs and knew he was up to something in the kitchen. I managed to get the camera as I approached him...I ended up making waffles that morning even though I hadn't planned on it.



Toilet Training
It's been a week since he's been using the toilet. We've had a few accidents but I simply can't be mad at him because he's always so happy. 30 seconds after I clean him up he's running around happy as can be.

Singing
He loves to sing and is often singing at any given moment. Many people smile at him while we're shopping, and say to me "Well, at least he's a happy kid!" His favorite song is How Firm A Foundation. The primary is learning it this year and even though he's in nursery, he has learned it since we, as a family, sing it all the time.

Here is Oaklen singing the first few lines of How Firm a Foundation:



Orange - He still loves orange. In nursery he always chooses an orange crayon and he has used up almost all the orange stars that they get to put on their scripture verse each week.

He loves to be orange man and wear his orange backpack:

Heavy Machinery - He still loves to watch the garbage trucks, street sweepers, excavators, trains, you name it!

Pencils - Whenever he sees a big jet in the sky making a white line, he says "Hey there's a giant pencil!"