My sister and I speak frequently to each other how watching our children play is one of the highlights of our motherhoods. My mother use to say when asked what she did all day at home with children, "I sit and watch them grow." She was very content to sit and watch us grow. She had a wise awareness of the value of being content with the mundane of the given moment knowing that all things comes to pass.
Being a lover of Maria Montessori's methods, I know and believe that children's play is their work. Lillie worked for several hours on this village. Each wooden saint had a role in the whole ordeal. I dared not disturb the whole process.
Their days are so involved. My sister Kristin always asks what the kids are up to most days because she told me she loves hearing what current interest has sprung up for the day. Two days ago, jewelry making was in full bloom. Led by Rose, she instructed her sisters on how to make seasonally colored bead necklaces. They sorted beads for two days and consulted me about which holiday they should focus their necklace making upon. I humor myself and answer very seriously. Little do they know, I much I enjoy their exploits and serious questions like "Mom, what colors really would represent Spring best?"
Yesterday, the day was spent memorizing the dances to the annual Fatima play they are in. The director of the production gave me a copy of the soundtrack to the play so they were overcome with desire to perform. They spent hours watching the older girls in the real performance so as children do best, they imitate. In their minds, they looked just like the middle-school girls performing on stage.
One night last week, John and I got lost in conversation late into the evening. The littlest ones were asleep. We came out of our conversation to find Lillie and Zellie playing chess, Dominic and Rose playing Monopoly, and Clairvaux and Vianney playing Legos.
Kristin asked me today if they are aware of each other especially the six sisters as they do everything with each other. I don't think they are because they are so use to each other, but from my vantage point of having my own six sisters, I know full well how much they are going to look back with fondness at their whimsical childhood of play, siblings, and imagination.
Those wooden saints look great! Where did you find them?
ReplyDeleteThis is so sweet, I love the wooden saints as well!
ReplyDeleteI love our saints... but they mainly sit on the mantel these days. I need to get them back in circulation. :) Love to see them playing so contentedly together!
ReplyDeleteI love Lillie's set up for the wooden dolls. My daughter Lucia, saw those pictures and said, "Oh Mama, I would like to play with her!"
ReplyDeleteI love Vianney's hair. Beautiful!
That is so sweet!
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to know where those dolls are from, they are fantastic.
The wooden saints were painted by several of my friends and myself. We did a saint swap. Each person chose two saints and painted 17 of those two saints and then we swapped. It was THE best thing I've ever gotten our kids. They play with them almost everyday. You can buy the plain wooden saint dolls at Hobby Lobby or order them in bulk online. After you paint them, make sure you spray with a poly. coat. Don't use Sharpie marker for detail work. It will run and ruin your painted saints. It was so fun. You can get ideas from St. Luke's Brush online too.
ReplyDeleteSharon, from My Treasured Gems is also very talented in painting the wooden saint peg dolls. She does a beautiful job!
ReplyDeletehttp://mytreasuredgems.blogspot.com/2013/01/more-wooden-saint-pegs.html