The boys playroom is coming along nicely. And after a trip to town to replenish some of our art supplies, the boys immediately went to work using the new brushes and paints.
And while I was debating whether these vintage nautical curtains were going to actually be used as curtains in the room or as puppet show curtains, I heard Ian talking about his paintings being in a sequence...using words like, "and then" and "next". Realizing this was a rare window of opportunity with a munchkin who is usually jumping, running, climbing and generally not sitting still long enough to do lengthy projects, I quickly (but very quietly and gently) came along side him. I asked him to tell me about his paintings and he indeed had connected them all into a story.
"Ian, do you know what you just did?"
"No mama, what?"
"You just wrote and illustrated your first book".
"I did?"
"YES! You did, and I love it."
"I love it too mama. I love my book."
Here is is, written and illustrated by Ian:
There once was a young boy who loved a meadow. And in his meadow there was a purple flower.
The young boy saw a beautiful sun, and grass touching his toes, and the most beautiful sky. (I guess he likes the word beautiful.)
The next time the young boy visited the meadow, the nest was still there. But the eagle was gone. She flew up in the sky.
THE END
***my wireless connection is giving me fits right now, so check back for Ian's book***
But I guess the moral of the story is that if the space is set and the supplies are stocked, then even the most bouncy of kids will eventually sit down to paint and quite possibly illustrate a book. And I am so glad he did. I am sure there is a lesson in there somewhere about having a space to create, to sit down, to focus, but I seem to be lacking one myself at the moment because I am ready to throw my computer through the window for not letting my upload these photos.