Sunday, February 16, 2014

Policeman Joe

Cale is spending a week in Fredericton while Alan is away and I'm busy with meetings in Halifax all week. Today I'm completely alone, and while it was nice for a bit, I really just miss having my boys around. I miss having people to take care of and I miss having people to take care of me. I have however, had time to get some things done around the house and watch a lot of uninterrupted Olympics. And now I have time for a new blog post. This post is a memory of Caleb's childhood that I wanted to capture. A child's interests change so quickly that when one lasts awhile, you know it is pretty special.

Policeman Joe has been part of our lives for over 6 months. It started as a bedtime story that I made up one night, and it has continued every single night since August! Each night after we read a book, we also tell a story where Policeman Joe finds clues, solves mysteries, chases robbers, stops speeders  and occasionally has to throw a bad guy in jail (but only until he learns his lesson). Alan and I alternate nights putting Caleb to bed, so Alan quickly became part of this little tradition. Policeman Joe even has a theme song (It's Policeman Joe, don't you know, don't you know...). Lately we've written a few of these stories down and made little books where Caleb colours the pictures and helps lay out the story. I find this hilarious because I never quite know what is going to happen, but I try to pull it all together in the end. I wonder if he'll still ask for Policeman Joe stories when he returns from Fredericton....I hope so.

Policeman Joe and the Case of the Sunken Pirate Ship
The other interest of Caleb's that has proven to be very consistent over the past several weeks is drawing pirate ships. Each day when I pick him up from daycare his teacher hands me a large stack of pirate ship drawings. They are very detailed with flags, port holes, always a crows nest and often a cannon that shoots bananas (after the peels have been taken off, of course). I have no idea what to do with this ever growing collection of pirate ships, but for now they all go into a sizeable stack with the best ones making their way onto the fridge! 

One day's work. 
Fridge-worthy pirate ship, plus pirate with an eye patch.