Three things I remember from Grade 1

Ticklish. Illustration by Mike F Leonen. ©2009 mike f leonen. All rights reserved.

Three things I remember when I was in Grade 1—

• To enter Grade 1, my teacher asked me to touch my left ear with my right hand, making sure my right arm was passing above my head. If I can do it, I'm allowed to enter. If not, I was supposed to go back to Kindergarten.
• My best friend in Grade 1 and I formed a business partnership. We sold candies for 5 cents each. We sold everything within the hour and declared ourselves successful. The candies cost us 25 cents each.
• In Grade 1, I proposed marriage to a classmate. She turned me down.

How about you? What could you remember?

By the way, if you are from or near Seattle (or planning to visit Seattle or nearby areas in the next month or two), let me know through email. You might be interested in a photo project, Project MOM.

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Rock, paper, scissors

On the drive back home from eating dinner out, my 6-year old and 4-year old decided to play the classic game of Rock, Paper, Scissors.

"Rock, paper, scissors," they said.

My 4-year old showed all his fingers.

"Paper," he said.

My 6-year old showed his thumb.

"What's that?" my 4-year old asked.

"God," my 6-year old said. "I win."

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Playing chess

I teach my 6-year old how to play chess. I used to be a tournament player. But like any other parent, I sometimes let my 6-year old win—to give him confidence, to reinforce his love for the game.

Or so I thought.

"So do you like playing chess?" I overheard my wife ask my 6-year old one night. Earlier, we played and I let him win.

"I do," my 6-year old said.

"At first I thought playing chess is hard, though," my 6-year old added.

"Why?" my wife asked.

"Because I thought you use your brain to play chess," he said. "I don't and I can still beat Daddy."

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Chocolates

Chocolates do not agree with my 3-year old. It upsets his tummy.

"Mommy," I overheard my 3-year old ask my wife one night. "Could I have chocolate?"

"Are you sure?" my wife asked. She explained how chocolates upset his tummy, how he has to go to the potty ten or 15 minutes afterwards each time.

My 3-year old thought for a second.

"I'm sure," he said. "I will live with it."

Two updates: 

100 Portrait Ideas. I've redesigned my photo blog—again. Please visit at mikeleonen.com

Writing A Book In 40 Days. Except for updating my blog and Twitter, I'm where I want to be, surprisingly. One thing I've learned about updating my blog and Twitter and writing a book in 40 days: they don't go together. I'll post more sketches this week.

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Blog party

Hello There. Illustration by Mike F Leonen. ©2009 mike f leonen. All rights reserved. No use, copy or distribution without prior permission.

Hello there to visitors from 5 Minutes For Mom. Three things about me:

• I'm a stay-at-home Dad to a 6-year old and 3-year old. They keep telling me: "Daddy, I don't like you. I love you." 

• I have a loving wife (and I love her with all my heart). She bought me a golf set as a birthday gift—and it's still a month away from my birthday.

• I use conditioner after I shampoo. The thing is, I'm bald.

Leave a comment so I could visit your site, too. And do remember to visit my photo blog at mikeleonen.com and my Tweeter. 

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Twitter, anyone?

Do you Twitter? Sign-up if you don't. Follow me if you do—and read about what I'm doing (or thinking) in 140 characters or less.

It'll be fun. I'm signed in as AboutParenting.

Photo challenge, anyone? Try my 9 Photo (re)Solutions To Try This 2009.

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Turning three

My 2-year old is turning three this week. Three reasons why I think he is growing up—fast.

• He used to think that sitting in a corner, facing the wall on time-out is a cool thing to do. He no longer thinks that way.

• He used to sit still while my 5-year old, my wife and I talk over dinner. Now he joins the conversation. When nobody seems to listen to him, he shouts, "Hello? Nobody's talking to me."

• His jokes used to center around poops and farting. Not anymore.

"Where are we eating?" my 5-year old asked one night when my wife and I decided to eat dinner outside.

"Hmm, let me think," I said while sitting on the couch and showing my thinking look.

My 2-year old, who was busy playing with his Legos, suddenly turned around. He showed me his bewildered look then said, "What Daddy? You stink?"

Photo challenge, anyone? Try my 12 Photo Ideas To Try This Summer.

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Stay at home

Apples. Watercolor by Mike F Leonen. ©2008 mike f leonen. All rights reserved. No use, copy or distribution without prior permission.

This is my 100th post. I thought I'd share a reason why I love—and why I sometimes get scared of—being a stay-at-home parent.

"Wow, Daddy," my 5-year old said after seeing one of my watercolor paintings. It was a rainy afternoon. My 5-year old, 2-year old and I decided to do some painting.

"Yeah wow, Daddy," my 2-year old added.

"You like it?" I asked.

"Yeah," my 5-year old said. "I like your painting of pumpkins."

I smiled. I was painting apples.

Photo challenge, anyone? Try my 12 Photo Ideas To Try This Summer.

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Password

"Hey Daddy," my 5-year old said after I logged into my computer one afternoon.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I know your password now," he said.

I know my 5-year old to be observant. But my password is a senseless combination of capital and lower case letters and numbers. It's close to impossible for him to know.

"Okay, smarty-pants," I said. "What's my password?"

My 5-year old looked at me, smiled then said, "Dots, dots, dots, dots."

Show-and-Tell. Want to see a Photoshop show-and-tell? Visit my photo blog, mikeleonen.com. Comments are appreciated.

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Mother's Day

Mother's Day. Illustration by Mike F Leonen. ©2008 mike f leonen. All rights reserved. No use, copy or distribution without prior permission.

My wife, two two kids and I were seated inside our van one recent night. We were going to eat out.

"Did you guys know that it'll be Mother's Day this Sunday?" I asked my two kids.

"Oh, I didn't know that," my 5-year old said. "We should surprise Mommy."

Uh-huh.

"We should bake her a cake and buy her flowers," he said.

My wife, I repeat, was with us in the van.

"Well," I said. "If we bake Mommy a cake and buy her flowers, that won't be a surprise anymore, wouldn't it?"

Silence. More silence.

"But we won't tell her the color," my 5-year old said. "That'll be the surprise."

Show-and-Tell Want to see a Photoshop show-and-tell? Visit my photo blog, mikeleonen.com. Comments are appreciated.

► Need Photoshop work on your family photos? Send me an email
► Helping kids learn left from right Read my tip and share yours
► Recommended for Toddlers ClickStart My First Computer