Catching up with... Kiddo

December is upon us and NO-vember is over.  Read back over the last month of posts and you will get a sense of the what and why I changed up formats.  Moving forward, I have to admit that I like it.  I could pic dump occasionally and for those who want just the pics, you have just the pics.  You can ignore my thoughts and ramblings.  Merry Christmas!  For those that like my writing and keeping up with our life via those words; Merry Christmas to you too.

But, my last post, from Thanksgiving, gave me a good idea.  

Not only can I pic dump, but I can blend when needed.  

So, moving forward, I will post as thoughts or wants or we have a night or event that is worth pics and words.  Like my post on our Thanksgiving… and this post today.

I wanted to blend this post for a lot of reasons.  Firstly, because the pics I’m posting need context and an explanation and not just a picture dump.  Secondly; Well, that’s because I want to give context and a mixed media to a situation that I’m writing about.

The other day (During NO-vember) Kiddo did a project at rest time.  She asked J for her music and sounds (ambient noise, I think it was birds chirping, but she also likes rain, crickets, frogs, and a few others) so she could do a craft.

This is what she did!

I love Mumma and Dada

I love Mumma because she likes me

I love Dada because he is kind

I love Mumma and Dada because they love me

My nanny loves me

My family loves me

She wrote and illustrated a book about her family.  She even bound it in the tape herself.  She’s five years old.  FIVE!  5!  Yup.  She is five.  I’m no expert, but J is something of an expert and she was impressed with the multiple stages of this.  A coherent thought flow.  Good writing for someone who is just learning and acquiring language and written language (in two languages, mind you) that shows confidence in that language.  She didn’t get discouraged or quit because she was unsure of a spelling, she sounded it out and did her best.  It’s structured.  Mumma, Dada, Nanny, Family.  She has a narrative flow.  The art matches.  She built a narrative flow.

On top of being a self published author (LOL) she also did this!!!!

I know, I can’t believe it either.  And when she’s in it, she is IN IT!  “One more try Dada!”  She also is asking to play.  Maybe, instead of coloring with Dada and Kiddo tonight, we can do Kiddo video games.  So, since she loves it so, I went ahead and set this up last night.  She doesn’t know yet and when we get to gaming tonight, she will have her own profile.  With her own trophies.  And her own gamer tag.  A Nova Star!!!!!!  

Christmas is upon us as well.  We, and when I say we, I mean J and Kiddo since I’m kind of Grinchish, got our tree up as well.  We also saw that the mall had their giant tree with the walk thru tunnel up and so Kiddo and I took Poley to see it and run through it the other day.  Needless to say, Poley thought it was a hit and hasn’t stopped talking about it since.  I mean, yes, Kiddo does prompt a lot of those conversations, but once you get Poley going on it… Look out.  And as you can see, Poley even got a shoulder ride through the tree.  As I said, it was a hit.  LOL

The last thing;

We are a music family.  Miss Mabel used to call Kiddo her little song bird, because she’s always humming or singing or doing something with music.  Well, she gets that from us.  Me, specifically.  Also, I don’t have J or Kiddo’s stats, but I have my own.  At least from Spotify.  My iTunes stats are wonky because I got a free trail to Apple Music and decided to check it out, so that’s my year to date, but I only signed up for that about 2 weeks ago, so it only shows 307 minutes of listening.  Extending that out for the year, that’s 15,000ish minutes.  I have been listening offline a bit as well, so that doesn’t count in.  I’d estimate (and I think with cause) that my devices and habits are at 100,000 minutes in the year.  So, call it 70 days of music.  Add in the Kiddo Spotify account and J and her Spotify and listen times, estimating for when she is home and controlling the tunes, I’d say we are at something like 140,000 minutes of music in the year.  Round that up for ease and that’s 100 days of music.  About a 1/3rd of the year.  

It’s safe to say that we are a music family.  For me, I’m happy with that.  I’m also happy that Kiddo will request music… Even our music.  Put on the Cooking playlist please. Or Dinner Datenight mix.  Or the Saturday morning Pancake Mix while J and Kiddo make pancakes. 

Kiddo loves her shows and movies.  Most of the time, thought, she will ask for music and will either play with us or just do her own thing with the music on.  Most of those times, when she requests a playlist, she wants to pick the first song as well.  

Little gamer music love!  She was our lil love, but we gotta include the music and gaming, I’d think.  

As I go, and on the topic of music…..

I mentioned once or twice here that Depeche Mode is my favorite band.  Well, according to Spotify, I really am. 5700 minutes and in the top 0.05% of listeners.  Super fan, guilty as charged!  LOL. Even the blog title today is a play off of a DM album title.  

Let’s go, Kiddo… We got games to play, music to hear, and Christmas decorations to look at, walk thru, or just sit next to the tree and loving the season.  I love you!