Paddy Power -- set to music!

(Paddy Power was the trademark of Ireland's largest bookmaker -- we saw the outlets everywhere and Paddy thought it was so cool that his name was on a sign on practically every street)

It's entered our family lexicon to describe something about our lively four year old -- if you have one of those energetic ones -- I have had two -- that seem to get this feyness or punchiness every now and then -- very cute, but can easily go over the top into acting out or tears! A quality to be cherished -- and refined through the years.

Paddy Power!

Anyway, Paddy's last couple of days have been powerful. I thought I'd write down a list of new things he has done in the past few days. Nothing prodigious, just nice things that show how his mind is working.

He drew several pictures and wanted me to hang them up on the wall, yesterday -- and today stood by them and told a story from them.

He is asking me about ALL the text on the front covers of books, including the author's name -- so now he understands the concept of authorship a bit.

He's listened to a wide variety of books in the past few days -- I got out some new ones and we went through them several times apiece.

And then, if you remember, my oldest son Liam challenged Clare and me to write an arrangement of a tune.

Here is the original tune (he bitmapped it)

Here is my arrangement (I got too frustrated with the bitmapping, so I wrote it out and took a photo of it):

Paddy watched me carefully during my short trial with the bitmapping, and then went to work to produce first this:

then this:

then this!
no help from me at all. So if he has a musical career in front of him, you saw it here first.

Clare helped host a swing dance for the church youth group and for families in general on Saturday evening. I stayed home with the little ones, but Kieron went, and it sounded like it went great. I admire Clare's sheer courage -- she was the little girl who used to run behind me and hide her face in my legs if someone talked to her, and now she is more poised than I am. If that could be called a compliment. But you know what I mean.

Kevin and Sean meanwhile went to a football game -- checking out the opposition for next week's game. When they got home they brought pizza and Clare was full of energy. Paddy danced with her.

I guess the point is that he is becoming such a little human being. My good friend says to me, "You are so lucky.... you are going to have a five year old for a whole year!" That's how I feel about it, too. These little persons are so competent, have so much emotional range, and so much energy and drive to do what those around them are doing. Each one is unique in their interests and personality.

Today he and Aidan had fun stamping -- with a stamp set. I am going to try hard to keep strewing things like that.