2015-05-27: Best Friend

Nigel and Dad were reading stories at bedtime tonight, and came across a mention of a character's "best friend". This prompted Dad to ask Nigel if he had a best friend. Nigel very sweetly answered, "You, Dad." It was a very touching moment.

2015-05-27: Like a Hypnotized Chicken

Ashton has been spending some afternoons at our house lately, while waiting for his mom to return home from work. He and Nigel have mostly enjoyed their time playing together, enough so that it has sometimes been hard to separate the two so Ashton can go home for dinner. Mom and Dad had discussed this with Nigel, and asked for his help getting Ashton out the door when his mom was ready to go.

This evening, Nigel led Ashton out to the car and got him in, then returned to the house to tell Mom and Dad how Ashton follows him "like a hypnotized chicken!"

2015-05-26: Falling Over During Tickles

Dad was trying to help Nigel with his handwriting, but much grumpiness was taking place. After that session concluded, Mom tried to help things by starting a family tickle festival in Nigel's room. It worked awfully well, and at one point, Nigel actually fell over from laughing so hard.

2015 Soccer: Cowabunga Kick-offs

Dad coached Nigel's (U6) soccer team this past year, and both he and the kids had a lot of fun. The practice games were a particular hit, including:

• LA Freeway (red light, green light with crashes and police)
• Sharks and Minnows (or the Blob variation)
• Relay races (running, dribbling)
• Soccer trail (dribble along a path)
• Soccer pirates (sneak in and steal balls)
• Big snake (dribbling)
• Persistence (continuous attempts to drive the ball into the goal despite opposition)
• Soccer bowling (knock balls off cones by kicking other balls at them)
• Soccer billiards (use one ball as a "cue ball" to direct a second ball into the goal)
• Crab soccer (soccer played while crawling on all fours, belly up and back down)
• Freeze tag (be tagged by a teammate or have a ball kicked between their legs or do 10 toe taps on the ball to unfreeze)
• Red light, green light (players have to freeze with their feet atop the ball)
• Passing circles (make a circle and pass the ball back and forth between the players, all taking one step back when a ball goes out of the circle)
• Coachodile (kicking or throwing ball at him to tranquilize him, but not entering his circle to avoid being bitten)
• Military death runs (running while chanting, military-style)
• Ministry of silly walks (full range-of-motion warm-up motions)
• Obstacle courses (running, jumping, hopping, backward, etc.)
• Fartlek runs (all directions, switching things around)
• Hokey-pokey (dribble in a circle around a cone instead of dancing, place feet upon ball instead of putting appendages into the center)

During the games, Nigel's favorite activity seemed to be what Dad came to call his "Cowabunga Kick-offs". When it was his turn to kick off, Nigel would retreat all the way back to his goal, then run at full speed toward the ball and deliver a huge kick to it. The results of this endeavor were mixed, but Nigel certainly loved the idea, and even managed to score a goal with one of them!

2015-05-15: Cereal Nutrition Battles

Nigel has independently invented a game played by countless children (Dad included) growing up: breakfast cereal nutrition battles. Dad really believes he did not plant the idea for this, aside from answering Nigel's questions about what the numbers on the side of cereal boxes represent. Nigel has been playing this game off and on for a few months now, comparing various types of cereal, and been getting more strategic about his choice of cereal: he usually picks whatever Dad is eating, and gives Dad the box he is eating.

Nigel has recently introduced a variation to this game, in which the nutrient's score comes not just from its value with or without milk, but with those values added together. Dad is thrilled with this rule, as though it doesn't change any of the outcomes*, it includes addition practice atop the numerical comparisons, and makes for an even better math game.


*The exception to this statement is Cheerios, which has an additional column of nutritional ratings for children under 4, making it nearly undefeatable. Dad is plotting to bring out the Special K to combat Nigel's Cheerios soon.

2015-05-07: Sick for a Few Days

Nigel has been sick for a few days now. Comments from him during the experience:
"I can't get any clean air." His description of how he felt one morning, presumably with a stuffed-up nose: "I can't get any clean air."
Toward the end, with a fever: "I love having company." Nigel gets very cuddly when he has a fever.

2015-05-05: Wanting to Accompany Mr. Hofer

Nigel's violin teacher, Jakob Hofer, was performing on the radio this evening, starting at 8 PM. The family didn't know in advance what to expect him to perform, but were all looking forward to listening. Mom and Dad arranged for the family to listen while Nigel was in bed, as that is his bedtime. Nigel had an interesting request for this event: he wanted to have his violin out and ready in case Mr. Hofer played something he knew, so he could hurriedly grab it and accompany him. Nigel and Mom even rehearsed his jumping out of bed and grabbing his instrument to refine that process, leaving the violin and bow sitting atop his dresser.

Mr. Hofer played a piece by a Jewish composer whose music is the study of his doctoral thesis, then a seven movement fantasy by Schubert (Fantasy in C major, D. 934). Nigel did not get to play with his teacher, much to everyone's disappointment, and fell asleep during the fantasy. It was a really wonderful idea, however, and one Mom and Dad found particularly touching.