6 Years, 5 Months

The boys have decided they like sushi, so we ventured out to dinner (something Steve and I rarely do since policing children in a busy restaurant is not our idea of a good time). The boys were well behaved, though, so maybe we've finally gotten to the point where they can act like civilized humans, at least for short periods of time.

Jack weaponizes his chopsticks:

Okay, relatively civilized. 

On the lookout from anyone who might steal his sushi:

Henry, too busy stuffing his face to pose for a picture:

We also ventured out to Ikea (a 45 minute drive to East Palo Alto for us) to pick up a table for the space in our living room formerly occupied by a large rabbit condo.

Folds up tiny:

Half folded out:

It's already been a great addition to keep the boys' assorted projects off the kitchen table.

Speaking of projects, Jack made this with packing peanuts:

I thought it was modeled after a church, given the topper, but he corrected me. "It's my hammer tower! I put my valuable stuff in there and anyone that tries to take it gets hit with the giant hammer!" I see.

My sweet, darling Henry:

With claws:

With even bigger claws (which he eventually let his dad trim since he admitted they were making life a bit difficult):

Henry is a clever little imp. We received a card from a friend that featured pictures of their child from the past year. Steve and I were trying to remember how old the child was now, and Henry sighed like we were being very dense and said we should count the candles on the child's birthday cake, featured in one of the pictures. He didn't actually say, "duh," but it was heavily implied.

Jack having fun with bath art supplies from Grandma Loveridge:

Sweet boy usually draws hearts and rainbows. 

Jack does his own hair:

I took the boys out to the local children's museum for kindergarten classmate Annabel's 6th birthday. 

Jack clams up:

Henry and Jack after the liquid nitrogen demonstration that included making ice cream:

This particular party was well-attended by the boys' entire kindergarten class, unlike a previous party for a girl in their class where Jack and Henry ended up being the only boys present. I did notice that there was greater gender segregation in the groups of kids running around than I'd seen at preschool parties, which struck me as a shame, but I know it's often part of growing up.

Jack doing his best homage to Pan's Labyrinth while home sick with (yet another) cold:

An elaborate game set up by Jack, the rules of which were not entirely clear to me, but Henry and I did our best to play along:

When you can't take one more complicated game or sibling fight, enter... technology!

The boys zone out on the game watches they received for Christmas:

After holding out for the first 6 1/2 years of their lives, we caved and bought tablets for the boys. They were, to put it mildly, delighted. 

Screen addict, Henry version:

Screen addict, Jack version:

Screen addicts, Jack and Pirate Henry version:

Jack, the headphone fly:

Like father, like son:

To be fair to Steve, he was reading work e-mail, but I was still amused by the visual.

More screens! Henry cranes his neck to watch PJ Masks with Jack at the dentist:

Yet MORE screens! They're everywhere! On a trip the Home Depot, the boys enjoyed playing with the fancy fridges. 

Jack:

Henry:

Henry asked me to draw him a heart to color in, which kept him entertained for quite awhile. Maybe the smart fridge people are on to something.