When Five begins a LEGO project, he doesn't stop working until it's finished. His parents find this amazing for several reasons:
1. Five is color-blind. Or, in Two's words, suffers from CDS, or "Color Discretion Syndrome." Two is also color-blind, so he invented a cool acronym to describe it. We weren't surprised by Five's diagnosis, because he's always colored his humans green.
If you've ever flipped through a LEGO construction manual, you know they are all about shading. Half the pieces are grey or black. We are mightily impressed that Five succeeds in differentiating between the two.
2. Five is a jabber-jaw, a Chatty Cathy, a motor-mouth. Yesterday he told me that if he is able to sit quietly in the bus line all week, he'll earn twenty points. Then next week he'll get to sit at the cafeteria table and draw cartoons with Tony while they wait for the bus! The bus monitor, a fifth-grade girl, created this contest. I don't know her, but I like her because she's already figured out you catch more bees with honey than vinegar. She has a future in Special Education.
Despite his propensity to blather, Five is absolutely silent when he's building. Now, if only he would take a little longer to finish each set...ah, what a wonderful world it would be.
3. Five is the Captain's son. Three is almost a carbon copy of his father, except taller now, so we call him "Brown Captain." Five is "White Captain," because he's like an x-rayed version of him--same bone structure, just a lot paler.
The Captain cannot build LEGOs. I don't want to say he lacks spatial skills, because he can pack a trunk like nobody's business. But he is incapable of interpreting the LEGO manuals. He's always been a better leader than follower.
So, yesterday when Five showed me his Earth Defense HQ set, complete with Mobile Command truck, mini spaceship, and alien figures, I took a picture. I wanted to send it to his grandmother, so she, too, could be impressed.
"You should put this on your blog, " he said.
I wasn't aware he even knew about the blog. I'm still not convinced he knows what it's about.
"I think I've already written about your LEGOs on the blog," I said.
"But not these, Mom. These are really impressive. I mean, look inside the truck! You should definitely put these on your blog today, and then tomorrow you can go back to writing about whatever it is you write about."
Apparently, he does understand the blog.
Now I've got nothing for tomorrow.
Wow! The Earth is in good hands, as far as alien invasion goes. And it's pretty!
ReplyDeleteMaine Betty
Hi Maine Betty! We try to be prepared for all eventualities here. We've got a stash of Nerf guns, Airsoft rifles, and night vision goggles for when the aliens, or the tarantulas, arrive.
DeleteBefore I go on, can I just say how excited I am that my comment font returned to it's normal size? Yay! I can read you all again!
DeleteOh, I miss the Lego days. MadMax and I used to do legos. I loooove them. I would still do them, but three or four years ago, MadMax decided he was too old for them and hasn't touched them since. I'm considering buying myself the set of house-building legos they have in their catalog, but I think it would thoroughly annoy everyone in the house (except me) if I took over one of our two tables for lego-building. I can barely get away with it for jigsaw puzzles (which I also love, and imo are in the same category as Legos). Anyway. I totally get Five's obsession and I'm awed and impressed by his skills. Thanks for sharing, Five!
ReplyDeleteIt is sad when they put away their childhood obsessions. I think you're entitled to your own table.
DeleteBarb - you have a new house! Fill it with Legos! I love them except in the dark with bare feet. Then they make me swear.
ReplyDeleteTell Five he did an awesome job with the sets. Those instructions are hard to follow. And how do they get him to be quiet? I have to hear about every single piece and where it goes in our house.
I think the concentration makes him quiet. Until he loses a piece, and then there is no peace for any of us.
DeleteThat is spectacular! I can't believe he made that. Perhaps he has a future as a civil or aerospace engineer. I've always wanted to live on a space station. Maybe Five can build one for me. - June
ReplyDeleteFive says he can't build you a space station, because he failed at the LEGO Space Shuttle. (He didn't really, he just lost an important piece.) I told him when he got older, he could build you a REAL one. He's on board.
DeletePlease thank Five for me and tell him I have complete confidence that a Space Station will be no trouble. (goes online to start shopping for space suit)- June
DeleteThose ARE really impressive! Particularly given the CDS, because those manuals are crazy. Good job, Five. My eldest son wants me to post it to my blog whenever he makes something, too, but I appease him by allowing him to post it to the Lego sight where people he doesn't know give it thumbs-up. Much more satisfying for him. My middle son (I believe one year younger than Five) can't stop talking to save his life, even when building with Legos. Be thankful for your magic silencing Legos. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid to let him know about the site, because then he'll steal my camera phone and laptop! I might check it out though, on the "down and low," as Sheldon says in Big Bang.
DeleteWow! Five did an amazing job. I'm very impressed. And a little envious, since that looks like a fun project. I can see why he is so obsessed with them. I might have to buy a set for myself.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Unlike your best friend, I think you possess the patience and determination to be a successful builder. And you're used to tiny pieces, having sorted all those Barbie shoes for so many years.
DeleteWow. My gson has the one in the bottom pic. Maine Betty is right. The Earth is in good hands!
ReplyDeleteThey're amazing! Yesterday, Five showed me how the roof opens on the truck to reveal the laboratory inside. What??!! I'm afraid to touch them, because the Earth would break in my hands.
DeleteI love LEGOs. Five did an awesome job! Now you'll have to write about other folks's hobbies and what makes them calm or quiet --- that's what you can write about!
ReplyDelete@BarbN: You totally deserve your own table and your own LEGOs. I bought one of the house building kits a couple of months ago and will start building ... once I clean off a table!
Drugs make them calm or quiet. Darn; that was a short post. I'll keep thinking. Now go clear a table!
DeleteAwesome job, Five!
ReplyDeleteI love LEGOs. Can't wait until I get some grandchildren...hey, who says I need them? I can build LEGOs for me. : )
When I was in college I would talk about the fun things I would do with "the neighbor's kids." I didn't want to tie myself down in a conventional life, with a husband and children. The Universe laughed. But I don't think you need to stand on convention-- buy your LEGOs now, so you will be a master builder by the time the grandkids/neighbors arrive!
DeleteYay, go Five!!! That's pretty impressive, especially considering the CDS. :)
ReplyDeleteI told him I posted his pictures, and he asked how many people saw them.
Delete"How many followers do you have, Mom? Like six?"
I felt compelled to read him the comments. Thanks for making him feel special!
For reasons only evident to my phone, it wouldn't let me post earlier today. I just want to echo the "those are awesome!!" comments everyone else has made.
ReplyDeleteI got to help put together Hagrid's house and Lightning McQueen's semi (Mac?) after Christmas. My brother's kids shared with Aunt Carrot. Legos do rock. ;)
We also have some Harry Potter sets; one has a gate that actually lifts. I'm not sure where we're headed next--possibly back to Star Wars.
DeleteI think Aunt Carrot should be your twitter name. @AuntCarrot rocks!
Very impressive job, Five! I will show the pictures to his cousin who will really appreciate them. It is amazing to watch them create with these bricks. Nick watched YouTube videos that kids create to explain their projects-- entire Star Wars battle scenes. The interest is waning here, which is sad. But I was glad that he liked the Technics set he got for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy watching a couple of older boys [at least 17 or 18 yrs old] pick out lego sets in the Lego Store one day. It was fun to see their excitment was still there :)
Out-effing-standing! I like the big eared alien in the saucer. Color me alien-green(and sometimes human) impressed. Also, he is so funny this one.
ReplyDeleteOMG Five - I am so impressed and at the same time a little sad that I was not there to help locate the pieces. I can't wait to see them in person and perhaps find that missing piece. I was good at that remember?
ReplyDeleteNow what challenging project can we find for you? Hugs, Mom Mom