Cwms [kooms]

We visited my parents this past weekend. The boys took advantage of every opportunity to play with their game-loving grandfather. Yesterday, Elliot played "Spill and Spell" with Pop Pop. I was playing with the other boys across the room, but heard Pop Pop say, with a chuckle, "Now that definitely is not a word." Elliot insisted that it was. Jack, hearing all of this as well, ran over the table to offer his "official" verdict. Jack took one look at the letter dice, and confidently declared that Elliot was right. The word in question was "cwms". Neither Pop Pop nor I recognized the word. So, how did Elliot and Jack both know it? Computer Scrabble. They have both spent hours playing against the computer, and have learned dozens of unusual 2, 3 and 4 letter words. They can't pronounce them, or tell you what they mean, but they know they are words (according to the official Scrabble dictionary at least!) Watch out, should you decide to play against them. And, certainly, don't challenge their words!

New Game

The boys have a new favorite dinner table game. Jack invented it yesterday. It's called "You Can't Say Any Words, or You're Dead." The rules are simple. You can't say any real words, or you lose. You can only say non words. So, Jack, Elliot and Mattie have been enjoying spouting gibberish, for as long as their breaths last, at constantly increasing volumes, to out non-talk the other. There is clearly only one real loser in this game.

Hide and Seek

The boys have been busy inside today building forts and playing hide and seek, and I couldn’t be happier. Jack and Elliot have played hide and seek sporadically in the past, but it has taken over this week as the favorite indoor pastime. Mattie’s new interest in the game seems to have fueled this new appeal. At 2 ¾, he has finally developed the patience to count to 30, the control to keep quiet in his hiding spot, and the attention span and energy to chase his brothers around the whole house when it’s his turn to seek.

As the boys were playing this afternoon, I laid down on one of their twin beds and closed my eyes for a few minutes. They played up and down the stairs and all round me, mostly oblivious to my presence. But, when Mattie couldn’t find a place to hide, and Jack’s count was nearing 25, I motioned for Mattie to run over to me. I scooped him up, and hid him under the covers right next to me. He laid there silently, with only a small tuft of blond ringlets sticking out. Our trick worked; they couldn’t find him! We finally threw the cover back and Mattie popped out. All three boys fell on the floor laughing. Of course, that was the end of my peace in bed!

12 Reasons I LOVE hide and seek:

1. You don’t need any toys to play.

2. Three (or more) is never a crowd.

3. No batteries required.

4. When you’ve found a great place, you just sit there QUIETLY and rest.

5. You can play it anytime, anywhere.

6. I played it when I was a kid.

7. My parents played it when they were kids.

8. No adult supervision needed.

9. No assembly required.

10. It’s not a contact sport.

11. There’s nothing to clean up when you’re done.

12. I want to hide next!

My mind keeps going back to that enormous house we looked at in Norwell last week. (Of course, I love it. As Ted put it, “what’s not to love about a 6 bedroom, brand new house on 2 acres?”) If we lived there, I might never find the kids again…