Just My Imagination

We've been devouring the Magic Tree House series in our house lately.   For those who don't know about these books, they follow Jack and Annie on various adventures to faraway places and eras, all courtesy of a time- and space-transporting magic tree house.  They are the sort of books I would have loved as a kid (and am enjoying as an adult too) - a mix of suspense, fantasy, adventure, character development (Jack and Annie's personalities are SO reminiscent of our two, and their sibling relationship rings a few bells as well).  This is our first real foray into the land of chapter books, and it's been fun.  I love picture books, but it's been a nice change of pace to read through a series of books one time, as opposed to reading the same (no matter how cherished) board books over and over and over.  I have been surprised and pleased with how well these books have held the boys' attention with only a one picture or two per chapter.  I love watching them stare into space as they listen, their imaginations hard at work drawing the scenes they are hearing.

But this post really wasn't meant to be a book review.  Alongside our adventures with chapter books, there has been another development we've noticed of late.  Although I am quite sure Ethan and Adam's relationship will always be fraught with conflict and intensity of one sort or another, particularly being so close in age and of the same gender, a new trend of peaceful, cooperative play has emerged.  I'm not sure what happened (and I am not fooling myself by thinking it will last forever), but right now, the boys are really enjoying playing together.  I am guessing that part of it is that Adam is now old enough to truly participate in the games Ethan (and it's always Ethan) creates, but is still young enough to kiss the ground that his older brother walks on and therefore put up with his complicated and unreasonable rules of the game.  Regardless, I am very much enjoying the opportunity to retire (temporarily) from my full-time job as referee and to sit back and have a cup of coffee without worrying that casualties might result.

One of Ethan and Adam's favorite things to do these days is to play "Jack and Annie".  Ethan is Jack (the older, more responsible one who takes everything a bit too seriously) and Adam is Annie (the younger adventure-loving risk-taker who could probably stand to take things a bit more seriously).  Ethan Jack always gets to pick where they will be transported, then the boys build their magic tree house out of couch cushions, count backwards from ten, make lots of loud noises, and then...well that pretty much sums up the game.  They never seem to get where they're going, or to have the adventures that Jack and Annie have in the books.  At some point, one of them inevitably becomes a porcupine (so-named because rubbing against the couch cushions has made their hair full of static electricity) so they begin playing "Jack and porcupine" or "Annie and porcupine", which is another game entirely, one that I have yet to figure out.  Somewhere along the way, some animals and/or dinosaurs will enter the picture and Ethan will be the zookeeper and Adam will be the vet, or Ethan will be the farmer and Adam will be "the guy who brings the animals".  They cycle through these games seamlessly for hours - one game evolving to the next, their imaginations a perfect anecdote to cabin fever.  It's always fun to listen to them as they play,  mimicking their parents or teachers and acting out scenes from real life or fantasy.  A child's imagination truly is an amazing thing - I get tired just thinking about how fast their little minds are moving, and can almost see the synapses firing as connections are made and reinforced.  We could all benefit from a little more time in a magic tree house, couldn't we?

Getting their tree house ready

"Mom, you are not part of this adventure!"

"I am NOT Porcupine!"

There's the porcupine.  My mistake.

Looking adoringly at Mr. Bossy Pants

* And in case you're wondering... no, despite the fact that I often call them the wrong names, I do not make my kids wear name tags around the house.  We had music class this morning and the boys have yet to take them off.  Maybe they think it will help Mom remember who's who.