In this installment of the video montage, we look at Ethan as a young filmmaker. I will say upfront that I did not coach or help him in anyway. This is his own work.
From his early period...
A return to the simplicity of his earlier work...
A short work on a subject all toddlers love, socks...
and some making of...
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Video Montage! (1 of 3)
[Jeremy] Dan and Marcelle (my brother and sister-in-law) gave us a Flip camera from Christmas last year. Since then, we have all been making little videos from time to time. Yes, it is so easy to use, Ethan has been making videos as well (there are some sample below). I have not done a good job of posting them in a timely fashion, so here is a bunch of videos from the past few months.
Ethan loves equally music and working with his hands. Tuning my guitar seems to just about the perfect blend of both. (Yes, that's a real tuner in his hands.)
Ethan also loves working with anything technical or electronic. Here, he is alternating between listening to Bob Marley on the TV speakers and his headphones. (He does this quite often.)
On Mondays we go to the "Bouncy House" at a local senior center. It turns out this is the place to be for toddlers in this area (folks say "The Upper Valley" around here). One week we got there first and Ethan got to turn on the fan to inflate the bouncy house. He was exhilarated!
...bouncing in the bouncy house...
Ethan loves equally music and working with his hands. Tuning my guitar seems to just about the perfect blend of both. (Yes, that's a real tuner in his hands.)
Ethan also loves working with anything technical or electronic. Here, he is alternating between listening to Bob Marley on the TV speakers and his headphones. (He does this quite often.)
On Mondays we go to the "Bouncy House" at a local senior center. It turns out this is the place to be for toddlers in this area (folks say "The Upper Valley" around here). One week we got there first and Ethan got to turn on the fan to inflate the bouncy house. He was exhilarated!
...bouncing in the bouncy house...
Sunday, December 12, 2010
New Mixer -- At least new to us...
[Jeremy] As alluded to in the last post, we have recently acquired something to help compensate for the inadequacy of our first family mixer (a little dark brown and tan hand mixer with it's own box). Ethan has loved to play with it, but when we got to the the big time with sugar cookies last week, it just didn't cut it -- it gut gummed up with butter and flour and just growled, but ceased to mix. It's not broken, it has just met it's match.
As Jody was finishing the mixing by hand, she mentioned that I should pick up the "big mixer" from Nana when Ethan and I visit her on Saturday. I remembered hearing about this mixer before (and even remembered seeing it with its stretchy velvet cover), but I had never had any interest. That was all before I became a stay-at home dad, however... Ethan and I were both excited when Nana revealed to us her crisp, white and chrome Kitchen Aid Heavy Duty Mixer (For household use only).
We got it on Saturday, cleaned it up Sunday morning and baked oatmeal raisin cookies with it Sunday night. It is truly an amazing machine... Housewives everywhere should demand one of their husbands.
Ethan is mesmerized when it is turned on... and to be honest, so am I.
As Jody was finishing the mixing by hand, she mentioned that I should pick up the "big mixer" from Nana when Ethan and I visit her on Saturday. I remembered hearing about this mixer before (and even remembered seeing it with its stretchy velvet cover), but I had never had any interest. That was all before I became a stay-at home dad, however... Ethan and I were both excited when Nana revealed to us her crisp, white and chrome Kitchen Aid Heavy Duty Mixer (For household use only).
We got it on Saturday, cleaned it up Sunday morning and baked oatmeal raisin cookies with it Sunday night. It is truly an amazing machine... Housewives everywhere should demand one of their husbands.
Ethan is mesmerized when it is turned on... and to be honest, so am I.
Cookies, Cookies, Cookies!
[Jeremy] Winter time has meant that Ethan and I are spending a lot more time indoors. It hasn't really snowed yet, so the weather is either REALLY cold, or wet and miserable. One of the things we like to do is bake. We have a neighbor that has a wheat allergy so we have been experimenting with some wheat free cookie recipes. Our most successful one was a spelt cookie with a lemony zest.
As it happens, s group of med students with kids planned a cookie decorating party at the med school. I looked up a shortening free, old fashioned cookie recipe and we went to town. Since you have to chill the cookie dough, it was a two-day affair. The only sad news was that our little hand mixer couldn't mix more than about half of cookie dough. Jody had to do the rest by hand. We now have a solution to this problem, (but that is another post all by itself). Below are some pictures of our the great cookie epic.
It took us a while to figure out that we had to use A LOT of flour when rolling out the dough to cut out the shapes. We took a trip to a very trendy kitchen shop in downtown Hanover and Ethan picked out this cookie cutter.
We only have one cookie sheet, so it took us almost two hours to get through the four dozen cookies that resulted from our epic labors.
As is the prerogative of any cook when in his kitchen, Ethan occasionally took samples of the product, for Quality Assurance purposes only I assure you.
Mama joined us with our cookies at the med school lounge and guided Ethan through his first time frosting cookies.
Some of the final products...
As it happens, s group of med students with kids planned a cookie decorating party at the med school. I looked up a shortening free, old fashioned cookie recipe and we went to town. Since you have to chill the cookie dough, it was a two-day affair. The only sad news was that our little hand mixer couldn't mix more than about half of cookie dough. Jody had to do the rest by hand. We now have a solution to this problem, (but that is another post all by itself). Below are some pictures of our the great cookie epic.
It took us a while to figure out that we had to use A LOT of flour when rolling out the dough to cut out the shapes. We took a trip to a very trendy kitchen shop in downtown Hanover and Ethan picked out this cookie cutter.
We only have one cookie sheet, so it took us almost two hours to get through the four dozen cookies that resulted from our epic labors.
As is the prerogative of any cook when in his kitchen, Ethan occasionally took samples of the product, for Quality Assurance purposes only I assure you.
Mama joined us with our cookies at the med school lounge and guided Ethan through his first time frosting cookies.
Some of the final products...Saturday, November 13, 2010
Papa and Ethan, Father and son
Now that I have been staying home with Ethan, we have been merging our lives to a great extent. We play together, but we also do house work together, exercise together (Ethan and I go jogging 3 times a week -- he rides), and his FAVORITE, we fix things around the house.
I can't adequately express in words how amazingly wonderful it is for me to spend time with Ethan tackling little fixes and teaching him how to begin to use tools. He is actually quite a great helper. It is truly one of the greatest joys to be able to share this time in my life with Ethan.
I have a home gym type thing that I got around the time I was still rehabbing my knee. I use it now to get a work out in at home on days I don't / can't go to the gym. Ethan ALWAYS finds it fascinating and tries to imitate my exercises. (He has also been known to do pilates with his mama)
I am always proud to amaze folks by telling them that my 2-year-old son can use a screwdriver and hammer.
Working with my father in the garage or on projects around the house are some of my greatest memories. It moves me to tears to share similar moments with my son.
I can't adequately express in words how amazingly wonderful it is for me to spend time with Ethan tackling little fixes and teaching him how to begin to use tools. He is actually quite a great helper. It is truly one of the greatest joys to be able to share this time in my life with Ethan.
I have a home gym type thing that I got around the time I was still rehabbing my knee. I use it now to get a work out in at home on days I don't / can't go to the gym. Ethan ALWAYS finds it fascinating and tries to imitate my exercises. (He has also been known to do pilates with his mama)
I am always proud to amaze folks by telling them that my 2-year-old son can use a screwdriver and hammer.
Working with my father in the garage or on projects around the house are some of my greatest memories. It moves me to tears to share similar moments with my son.
Enjoying Fall
[Jeremy] Fall is always a time of change for me. With the changing weather and the shorter days, I find I can spend less time outside, and when I do spend time outside, it takes a lot more preparation (and clothing) to make it enjoyable. I wake up to mornings of darkness and frost, and days are cut short. Something in me seems to need the sun and the outdoors. Also, as a stay at home dad I am now daily still trying to make sense of this tremendous change in the course of my life.
Moreover, we recently had to bid a sad farewell to the only car I have ever owned (addressed in detail in another blog post). That 1998 Subaru Forrester has been part of our family since before it was. Jody and I fell in love in that car, it carried everything we owned every time we ever moved, and it was Ethan's favorite place to play -- he would spend hours just sitting... "play car?" he would ask with clear intonation, telling whoever was in ear shot that he wanted to play in the car.
In this time of transition, before the onset of winter, we have been playing as hard as we could to squeeze every last bit out of the ever-shortening days.
Ethan has found that although lollipops and other kinds of sugary candy are not quite his cup of tea "choc-it" as he calls it definitely is.
Playing rugby is a big part of my life and I had a great time playing rugby for two different teams this fall. I am pictured here playing prop for the Tuck Rugby club. Tuck is Dartmouth's business school. I scored a try later in this match (Rugby's equivalent of a touchdown), my first for this team.
One pretty cold and grey day in October, Ethan, Jody, and I met a good college friend of mine Jen Stevenson at the Boston Aquarium where we all got to check out the "Pinguinos" for an afternoon. Ethan still talks about how Jen gave him a piggy back ride.
The three little peas outside the aquarium (picture graciously taken by Jen).
After the completion of the big dig (which runs right by the aquarium) and the subsequent dismantling of the old overpass, the route where 95 used to run has been converted into a long park or "greenway." At one end, there is a carousel. After we went to the aquarium, Ethan had his first ride.
Nana and Pappy recently got a leaf blower to take care of the new grass in their backyard. Ethan LOVED it and talks often about how pappy and he blew leaves in their backyard.
Ethan has long loved the bike pump, but has only recently gained enough skill (and strength) to use it effectively for it's intended purpose.
After being scared of it for a long time, Ethan has finally embraced the pure childhood joy of riding the see-saw.
And as is true for all of us, the harder we play, the better we sleep. I have heard tell that some other children Ethan's age move away from the long afternoon nap... not my little peanut. He has still sleep 2.5 -3 hours every afternoon.
I am somehow always touched when I look back when we are driving somewhere because I haven't heard him for a while and I see him fast asleep.
Moreover, we recently had to bid a sad farewell to the only car I have ever owned (addressed in detail in another blog post). That 1998 Subaru Forrester has been part of our family since before it was. Jody and I fell in love in that car, it carried everything we owned every time we ever moved, and it was Ethan's favorite place to play -- he would spend hours just sitting... "play car?" he would ask with clear intonation, telling whoever was in ear shot that he wanted to play in the car.
In this time of transition, before the onset of winter, we have been playing as hard as we could to squeeze every last bit out of the ever-shortening days.
Ethan has found that although lollipops and other kinds of sugary candy are not quite his cup of tea "choc-it" as he calls it definitely is.
Playing rugby is a big part of my life and I had a great time playing rugby for two different teams this fall. I am pictured here playing prop for the Tuck Rugby club. Tuck is Dartmouth's business school. I scored a try later in this match (Rugby's equivalent of a touchdown), my first for this team.
One pretty cold and grey day in October, Ethan, Jody, and I met a good college friend of mine Jen Stevenson at the Boston Aquarium where we all got to check out the "Pinguinos" for an afternoon. Ethan still talks about how Jen gave him a piggy back ride.
The three little peas outside the aquarium (picture graciously taken by Jen).
After the completion of the big dig (which runs right by the aquarium) and the subsequent dismantling of the old overpass, the route where 95 used to run has been converted into a long park or "greenway." At one end, there is a carousel. After we went to the aquarium, Ethan had his first ride.
Nana and Pappy recently got a leaf blower to take care of the new grass in their backyard. Ethan LOVED it and talks often about how pappy and he blew leaves in their backyard.
Ethan has long loved the bike pump, but has only recently gained enough skill (and strength) to use it effectively for it's intended purpose.
After being scared of it for a long time, Ethan has finally embraced the pure childhood joy of riding the see-saw.
And as is true for all of us, the harder we play, the better we sleep. I have heard tell that some other children Ethan's age move away from the long afternoon nap... not my little peanut. He has still sleep 2.5 -3 hours every afternoon.I am somehow always touched when I look back when we are driving somewhere because I haven't heard him for a while and I see him fast asleep.
Movin' on up... to the Red Room
This post is bit late in coming, but at the start of this current school year, Ethan moved up from the Nursery (at the Child Care Center in Norwich) to the Red Room (for 2-3 year olds). For the first month, Ethan went to the Red Room 3 days a week. Now he only goes on Thursday. And for those of you who do not know, I turned down a job and decided to stay home with Ethan this year (and for years to come).
Below are a few pictures of Ethan with his Red Room buddies. The nursery was a wonderful place and the wonderful, caring folks there brightened all of our lives.
Ethan with Audrey (they were special friends.. they came to and left the nursery about the same time)
Ethan with Karla (Karla was an amazing teacher and a kind caregiver)
Ethan with Suzanne (Suzanne joined the Nursery right before Ethan left, but they quickly became great buddies)
Below are a few pictures of Ethan with his Red Room buddies. The nursery was a wonderful place and the wonderful, caring folks there brightened all of our lives.
Ethan with Audrey (they were special friends.. they came to and left the nursery about the same time)
Ethan with Karla (Karla was an amazing teacher and a kind caregiver)
Ethan with Suzanne (Suzanne joined the Nursery right before Ethan left, but they quickly became great buddies)
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