Vinny and I joined my MOMS group for a play date at the local pottery painting shop in Old Town a few weeks back. While all the other boys went crazy for the sharks, Vinny chose the "ladyBUG" with heavy emphasis on the BUG. I wish he talked when I had the video camera on...I just don't ever want to forget how darned adorable it is to listen to him put new words together. Anyway, thanks to his love of the movie "A Bug's Life" or just "Bugs" in our house, the ladybug caught his eye on the table. Though he insisted he wanted to paint a "bwoo ladybug." So off he went.
Step One: Paint the whole ladybug blue.
Step Two: Add accent color #1, Vinny chose yellow. He also decided that accent meant cover the entire thing with yellow, but we'll still call it a blue ladybug.
Step Three: Add accent color #2, green. This time, Mommy couldn't restrain herself anymore and had to intervene. I pulled the green away before he could go too far. Besides, we still had to add some red, go figure. The shopkeeper did compliment me on letting him do what he wanted as art is a free flowing process yadda yadda yadda...sure, whatever...she obviously hasn't seen what happens when Vinny doesn't get to do things HIS way (I don't know where he gets that from). Mr. Independent. His famous line: "No, I DOOOO it!"
After a few finishing touches courtesy of the shopkeeper and some dry time, we went back later that evening to pick up the final product. Vinny is so proud of his ladybug, and I am, too. It's a keeper!
Since back to school is happening all around us, Vinny and I have taken to doing some arts and crafts at home, too. He loves to color, and gets especially excited to paint. We've done finger painting, water colors, and regular old poster paints. He is very careful about not mixing the brushes and I was surprised to see him remember which cup was which. He'd rather mix the colors on the paper, that's all. It was an interesting conversation I had with him about why, when he put the yellow brush back into the yellow cup, it wasn't yellow anymore.
"I paint fast Mommy!"
For a boy, just 2 and a half years old, I am impressed with his ability to stay focused on such tasks as coloring and painting. We sit for at least 30 minutes before he starts to get ants in his pants. As long as he has a fresh sheet of paper and some company, he is content to just be. I wish I could say the same for some of my former students!
Notice the clean hands...though we have finger painted already, Vinny is not keen on messy hands. Wipes are always nearby. :)
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