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.

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Three things I've learned (so far) about hide-and-seek

Hide and Seek. Illustration by Mike F Leonen. ©2008 mike f leonen. All rights reserved. No use, copy or distribution without prior permission.

Three things I've learned (so far) about playing hide-and-seek with my  two kids:

• The kid who counts almost always counts with at least one eye open.

• The kid who hides almost always gives up his position by either hiding three feet away from the kid who counts or by giggling—aloud, I must add—for all to hear.

• The fun part of hide-and-seek is not the seeking or the hiding. It's the screaming. 

Gallery Update I've updated my illustration gallery. I'd appreciate a visit and comments. Also, please visit my photo blog, mikeleonen.com.

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Growing up

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

Signs my 4-year old is growing up:

• Physical—My 4-year old brags about the hair in his chest (there are about 3 of them, a quarter of a quarter of an inch tall). Also, after playing, he tells me, "Look, Daddy, my armpit is sweaty."

• Emotional—My 4-year old is attuned to his feelings (and mine). "Daddy, I love you," he says unexpectedly. "Does that make you happy? Can I have some chocolate now?"

• Mental—My 4-year old is getting smarter.

"Daddy, do you want to hear a joke?" my 4-year old asked one time.

"Sure," I said.

"Are you sure?" he asked, very serious.

"Sure I'm sure," I said.

"Are you very sure?"

Uh-huh.

"You're handsome," he said.

He laughed hard. Then he walked away.

Donkey.

My 4-year old turns 5 this week.

Photo Challenge, Anyone? Visit my photo blog, mikeleonen.com, and read about joining the photo challenge this week.

Illustration Gallery Update I've updated my illustration gallery. If you have the time, I'd appreciate a visit and comments.

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Know the song, anyone?

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

Are you in a helping mood today? Do you know the lyrics of the song that starts with:

Where Is Thumbkin
Where Is Thumbkin
Here I Am
Here I Am

My 4-year old asked me the lyrics one morning and I said I don't know. That's the problem. He came out with his own version:

Where Is Pinky
Where Is Pinky
Here I Am
Here I Am
What Have You Been Doing Today
Picking Out The Boogers
Run Away
Run Away

Again, if you know the lyrics, let me know. Please.

Photo Challenge, Anyone? Visit my photo blog, mikeleonen.com, and read about joining the photo challenge this week.

Illustration Gallery Update I've updated my illustration gallery. If you have the time, I'd appreciate a visit and comments.

► Need Photoshop work on your family photos? Send me an email
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► Recommended for Toddlers ClickStart My First Computer

Learning from experimenting

Under A Leaf Tree. Photo illustration by Mike F Leonen. ©2008 mike f leonen.

“So what have you learned about experimenting?” I asked my 4-year old one afternoon.

An hour earlier, I gave him three plastic test tubes and the three primary colors—red, blue and yellow. I asked him to dilute the colors in water, mix them two at a time and see what happens.

“I learned that we should not spill,” my 4-year old said.

“You should not spill?” I asked.

“Uh-huh,” he said. “You should not because if you spill a spider will bite you and you will transform and bad guys will come and you will fight the bad guys and …”

He went on while showing me his latest Karate moves, punching and kicking the air.

“OK,” I said. “What else have—?”

“And then,” my 4-year old continued. He was not yet finished.

“Then what?” I asked.

“And then you’ll have a girlfriend,” he added.

Hmm.

I was hoping for yellow and blue makes green, red and blue makes purple and yellow and red makes orange. He gave me Spiderman and Mary Jane instead.

Photo Challenge, Anyone? Visit my photo blog, mikeleonen.com, and read about joining the photo challenge this week.

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I'm a big boy now

Fishing Pirate. Photo illustration by Mike F Leonen. ©2007 mike f leonen.

My 2-year old is a big boy now. I know that. Three reasons—

• How he acts. He used to be contented sitting with me in the car while my wife and 4-year old do grocery shopping. Now, I too have to go grocery shopping because my 2-year old wants part of the action by saying, “Me come, too”—and won’t let up until I bring him in.

• How he reacts. He used to run to the bathroom when I tell him it was time to wash up. Now, he says, “In a minute.”

• How he thinks.

“Are you a baby?” my wife asked one time last week.

My 2-year old smiled and, without hesitation, said, “No, I’m cute.”

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Autumn

Autumn. Photo illustration by Mike F Leonen. ©2007 mike f leonen. Click to visit my photoblog.

Three things about autumn, at least according to my 4-year old—

• Leaves change color and fall to the ground.
• The weather gets colder, especially at night.
• When it gets colder, you pee a lot.

Please visit my photo blog, mikeleonen.com to view one of my digital watercolor.

► How to pick the right watermelon Read my answer
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The server

Cherry. Photo by Mike F Leonen. ©2007 mike f leonen. Click to visit my photoblog.

“Hello,” my 4-year old said. “I will be your server today.”

“Okay,” I said.

We were at a restaurant one night last week. My 4-year was playing the pretend game.

“Our special for tonight is chicken and mashed potatoes,” my 4-year old added. “Would you like to order now or later?’

“I’ll order now,” I said.

My 4-year old looked at me, a little irritated.

“Daddy,” he said. “Order later.”

“Oh, okay.”

My 4-year old smiled then walked away. He walked around the restaurant.

“Ah, excuse me,” I said when my 4-year old passed within our table.

My 4-year old kept walking.

“Ah, Mister Server,” I again said, a little loud this time. “I’m ready to order.”

My 4-year old continued to walk around the restaurant. A second or two later, he returned to our table and sat down.

“What was that?” I asked.

“What was what?” he asked back.

“I was calling you but you were not answering me,” I said.

“Daddy,” my 4-year old said. “That’s what servers do. They don’t look at you when you call them.

Hmm.

My 4-year old, the restaurant critic.

If you are wondering about the cherry, please visit my photo blog at mikeleonen.com and see what I am challenging myself to do this week. I’d appreciate your comments.

► How to pick the right watermelon Read my answer
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And now I am two

And now I am two. Photo by Mike F Leonen. ©2007 mike f leonen. Click to visit my photoblog.

My 1-year old is turning two this week. I don’t write much about him, mostly because what he says can only be understood by my wife and I (and, occasionally, my 4-year old).

Lately, however, my 1-year old has been showing how much he can recognize—and verbalize—what he sees and hears around him.

“What sound does a cat make?” I ask.

“Meow,” my 1-year old will say.

“Very good,” I say.

“How about a dog? What sound does a dog make?”

“Arf. Arf.”

“How about a bird?”

“Tweet-tweet. Tweet-tweet.”

“How about a snake?”

“Psst. Psst.”

I feel proud. Then I feel adventurous.

“How about Daddy?” I ask. “What sound does Daddy make?”

My 1-year old smiles. He purses his lips then farts—loud.

► How to pick the right watermelon Read my answer
► Recommended for Toddlers Kid-Tough(tm) Digital Camera