JWST - IR camera demo

JWST - IR camera demo, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

Z with "cold fingers" from the bucket of ice. I think his lenses blocking the heat is quiet stunning too.

JWST extravaganza - Z on the telescope

JWST extravaganza - Z on the telescope, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

Purim carnival

DSC_0192, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

self belaying

self belaying, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

songs

Zachary has been exploring the world of composition. He has been enjoying making up all sorts of funny and silly songs.

one of his recent (and more sensicle) is about not killing animals

Sarah caught most of it ....

Zachary is currently alternating between singing the spanish days of the week song, "Animals are good you shouldn't kill them they are part of nature don't cut down treeeeees", Batmaaaaaan.... Gold ranger!.... "Dinosaurs, dinosaurs, you shouldn't kill dinosaurs... Dinosaurs, dinosaurs, you can't find dinosaurs..."... oop, now spoken word "I am saying the introduction... This song is called the flight of the bumblebee... BZZ BZZ BZ I LIKE TO BZZ BZZ!...flying is my job.. making honey is my job!... " (repeat sections as you see fit) 

And then his brain exploded

Watching Zachary try to fall asleep is like watching a sperm whale battle a giant squid. It is painful, and intriguing, and you're never quite sure who is going to triumph.

This evening he was charming, but his brain is literally exploding like a pinball game gone sentient and out of control. As he was falling asleep he cycled through the following questions/statements/musings

1) What does it feel like when a mommy has a baby in her belly and she doesn't want it there? What does it feel like for the baby? Do you have to kill the baby? (I think, after some gentle exploring, that this is a mash up of our explanations of my work with The Lilith Fund along with one of his old teachers being very pregnant.) We discussed it. If you ever need advice on talking to your 5 year old about making babies, miscarriage, and abortion, let me know, because now I've been there. Heads up? Watch Mr. Popper's Penguins first.

2) How do you make rock? Can we make rock now? (No, go to sleep)

3) Is our sun going to explode? (In these instances being an astrophysicist totally pays off.)

4) Mommy, I want to take a break from Power Rangers for this week.  (why?) It gives me scary dreams. I want to only watch gentle shows this week. (DONE.)
(NB - We do not, a la "Clockwork Orange", hold his eyes open and force him to watch Power Rangers. I know, you're shocked.)

And, as Mark mentioned, he WROTE HIS FIRST CAPITAL R.  We did not initially appreciate the significance of his original announcement, but he drove home the point. "No, Mom. My first capital R EVER. I AM BLOWING MY MIND RIGHT NOW"

Point taken. Consider that all of us.

He finished the rest of his valentines tonight. He was quite insistant we finish them this evening. As we were getting ready for bed, out of the blue, "I am SO relieved about the valentines." (in what way?) "They were really pressing on me".

Oh man. He is so my kid.

valentines

"I want to make Willow a valentines"

pause

"actually, no I don't cats can't open them!"


At the behest of Zachary's preschool teacher, he is writing his name and the name of each classmate in their valentines. It has been an exercise in adorable. He was jump up and down in his seat excited when he figured out how to do a capital R.

Parent panic

Me walks into kitchen, where only minutes before Zachary had been eating breakfast. It's empty, ghost ship empty.

I call out "Zachary?"

nothing

Again "Zachary?"

I glance around the room to see if he's hiding anywhere. I notice the front door locks are unlatched.

nothing

this time with a little panic rising "Zachary??"

nothing

I peek into his room and ours, nope. not there.

"ZACHARY?" panic plus loud enough to get his attention if he's slipped outside


"yes Daddy" from behind me

that right he's standing on the toilet looking in the mirror brushing his teeth, 'course he couldn't answer.

Reading

Like with whistling, when Z sets his mind to it, there seems to be no stopping him.  At a parent teacher meeting recently, Diane suggested we take home the "Bob Books".  Zachary was stoked and is now sounding out books 1 through 4.  WOW! now he's a "reader", how did that happen so fast?

son of m0nk3yphd

monkey does

Star Hat

DSC_0107, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

Zachary and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to McDonald Observatory with Sarah. In the background you can see the HET which is "mommys telescope". And just behind the orange fencing is the structure that will hold all her spectrographs.
We toured all three big telescopes at McDonald with a some staff members and later with the tourist guide. Both were great, we got to ride on the HET as it spun around and learnt about the history of the site. It also snowed, Zachary was very excited, although it didn't settle. But there was a few small patches left from the last big snow. He made a snow angel and had lots of fun throwing it around, mainly at small signposts. Because it was a little to gritty and icy for a really snowball fight. In other exciting weather, we got a texas duststorm and 60+ mph winds. Bit chilly, so during the star gazing party at the visitors center, Z fell asleep all bundled up during short lecture. But I was impressed with the number of questions he answered without a pause before curling up in the seat next to me. Including, if you can't see Jupiters red eye where is it? "on the other side", and what's the next planet out from Jupiter? "Saturn"... no prompting from me, and quick than anyone else in the room! A trip to remember for sure. His highlight, listening (for the first time) to Harry Potter and the philosophers stone audiobook on the eight hour drive out and back to austin.

snow angel

DSC_0014, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

Dangers of a hipster 'hood

Dangers of a hipster 'hood, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

aviators and a nerf pistol, ready for anything. Now, I'm tempted to teach him "the name's Collins, Zachary Collins"

Zachary camping

IMAG0429, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

"you and mom are in the tent"

LGBT Texas cookie made by Z

LGBT Texas cookie made by Z, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

with some help from Grandma. Zachary mixed the three primary color food coloring to get a spectacular (and tasty) rainbow icing.

Zacharys Crystallization Experiment

IMAG0409, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

Reaping the rewards of growing sugar crystal, after two weeks he gets to eat them. Also check out his new glasses.

Snow Day

townlake ymca snow day, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

The grand reopening of the Y here in Austin, had a few tons of "snow" dumped on the playing fields out front. All the kids had a great time in the muddy snow, while it was 65F and warm in the sun. There was also a snow slide.

"two wheeler mode"

IMAG0300, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

Easel Painting

flowers and sky, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

Zachary is getting to do lots of big upright painting. His teacher told us that it helps the kids develop the arm muscles they need for learning to write in school next year. All those big up and down stokes on the easel also make for beautiful art (read as soppy parent).

monkey on

Last weekend we stopped at a playground in Georgetown to enjoy the sunshine. Zachary made several friends while playing and showed us he can do this.....