Dad, all you do is 3d print stuff for us all day?

So, we got a 3d printer last week and we've been making good use of it recently.  Due to the covid-19 pandemic, I have been working from home for the last month and now as I work from home I can also 3d print stuff.

You have been very excited about getting the 3d printer. You were my number 1 helper putting it together and screwed in pretty much all the bolts.  You are always asking me to make stuff for it, and when we are printing something, you and Alyssa continually disappear for a moment to check on it no matter what else we're doing.

Today while I was trying to get some work done (I still the same full-time workload of classes and research), you said that we should get some of those firefighting robots from the youtube videos we sometimes watch.  Then you asked to watch some robot videos on youtube with me.  I said I was busy and had to work.  You replied, 'Dad, all you do is 3d print stuff for us all day!'  I was a little confused...  You continued, "Yeah you used to do other stuff with us, like watch firefighting robot videos on Youtube and now all you do is 3d print toys for us all day" 

Sorry buddy for being such a boring Dad and spending all my days 3d printing toys for you.  We'll have to get back to watching more YouTube together!  😁

Brothers!

You, Joel and Kent are all now old enough to play together.  It is so fun to watch the three of you interact.  You are old enough to know what you want and to communicate it and to build all your own legos, duplos etc.  Joel says simple sentences and can make his voice heard.  He builds basic duplo creations.  Kent is known as the 'destroyer of toys', oftentimes you and Joel shout at him when he comes to tear apart your creations.  He is getting better though.  This week he put his first two duplo blocks together and was visibly pleased with himself.

The three of you love to go outside and ride your bikes.  You love to play duplos and legos together and also to play pretend.  Sometimes you guys fight.  You are getting better are working with Kent and helping to find toys to distract him so that he stays away from wrecking your stuff and Joel's stuff.

You have also been teaching Joel things.  We are trying to get him to pee in the toilet and you have been good at explaining and demonstrating how it works.  We also overheard you teaching Joel in the bathtub, "Do you know what happens when you fart in the Tub? ... it makes bubbles."

You are just like me in a lot of ways.  You love to stay up late and work on projects.  You are my number one helper when I'm doing a project, like fixing the dryer, building shelves or assembling and using the 3d printer.  You are always coming up with invention ideas.  About two years ago while riding my bike around the river I thought, I should design a bike that can go on water.   I later discovered that someone already invented such a bike.  Last week on your first bike ride around the river, you said something along the lines of  "We should build a bike that can ride in the river."   That's pretty good that you came up with the idea the first time biking around the river.  It took me dozens of times.

You love to be involved and included.  Tonight Mom and Alyssa had to go do an errand and visit a friend's house and you were really upset that you couldn't go.  You came inside and lay down on your floor in frustration.  It was so cute to hear you explain to Joel how you felt and why you were feeling that way.  It is fun to see you guys as friends and brothers.

Staying at home and avoiding COVID-19

We've all been home for the last two weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  You've developed a good 4-yr old level understanding of the disease.  When we are outside playing with the neighborhood girl, I have heard you say " WATCH OUT she might have the CORONAVIRUS!"

Nana sent you all packages in the mail of something you could play with.  As usual, you were very excited for your package to arrive.  Yesterday, Alyssa's came in the morning, Joel's came in the afternoon and yours came in the evening.

Today you reminded me to call Nana so that we could tell her thanks.  You thanked her and said that yours arrived the earliest!  Me, mom and Alyssa all had a sudden realization about what you meant by saying you woke up early today!  You meant that you slept in!  For the record you are the one who generally goes to bed the latest and sleeps in the longest.  You love to tinker with duplos, legos or whatever at night before you go to bed and you hate to quit a project to go to bed.  In the morning everyone reliably wakes up well before you.   Some of us are done with breakfast by the time you get up.  But, your mother makes an effort to sit at the table with you while you eat and teach you letters and stuff.  This means she is at the breakfast table for like 2 hours a day.  You also eat the slowest!  We love you!

Tonight we made masks to protect ourselves (or for fun).  You are the king of PPE!