You can't make this stuff up

I came downstairs from putting Benjamin down for a nap one day and this is what I found.  From top to bottom.  Would that the house had been more tidy when they spontaneously decided to do something so darling and blog worthy.  Alas...

Jacob often wants Nicholas to play chess.  Nicholas often wants Jacob to play trains.  They make deals that one will play the other person's activity for a specified amount of time and then they'll swap activities.

It usually ends with Nicholas losing his queen in 3 moves and then running away from the table screaming.  Then Jacob, desperate for a partner, says, "OK, OK" and puts the queen back while warning him that he needs to be more careful.  The agreement usually dissolves after 3 more moves because, as Nicholas so artfully puts it, "this is taking for long".  Crying, anger, and promises from mom to play with Jacob are the only things that will put it aright.  

Ah Chess

You had him at strategy

Hopefully with all of the chess Jacob insists on playing we can rise above the whole Arkansas thing. 

Losing His Marbles

Jacob has found a new favorite pass time. Grandpa Gam has a jar full of marbles from when he was a boy and has graciously allowed Jacob to play with them. Every. Single. Day.

He only gets to play with them when Nico is down for his nap (or solitary confinement when he won't nap). The minute I start getting Nicholas ready for nap Jacob is on me to find out when he can play with marbles. And if I can play with him. In urgent, pleading whispers. Can I? Can I? Please? Please? Please?

Below he had organized them in order of how much he liked them.

By the way, playing real marbles is majorly fun. Just get a piece of yarn to make a circle on the ground and start calling your shots. It's like playing pool on the floor!


















Allow me to say despite the title of this post, I am loving 5 year old Jacob. Darling, earnest, and responsible. Loving it.