Today is my Dad's birthday.
...we are late mailing our card...but we got it in the mail, just in time to be posted on the day of celebration.
Maxx loves the post office ritual...putting on the stamp, writing the address and return address, then venturing to the post office, the mail drop box, the mail trucks, the uniforms..."What are THOSE!?!" today the P.O. Boxes caught his attention... A very exciting job the postal workers have. Alot of magic goes on behind those walls.
Postal work is in his blood. My late grandfather retired from the U.S.P.S. after 35 years. (Is that right Mom?) So to me...it is really special when he plays postman.
We have a sweet golden book that Maxx loves to read about the secret that is sealed and is handled by "Seven Little Postman" it is written by Margaret Wise Brown. (I love to read anything by her.)
Many times I think about getting these or making something like it myself for Maxx:(check'em out->) Mail Bag; Post Office; Mail box... they are so cool...right?!!!
Then Maxx starts his open ended play with his playstand and it backs what Waldorf has taught me..., about how powerful the child's imagination is and how they need to be able to have free open ended play. Watching him play tonight those toys would not have added anything, in fact they would have taken his creativity away. I am floored and reminded...
"Jaaane ELIZABETH!!!! Get back on your personal daily hourly journey to live more simply."
Maxx playing postman while I'm making supper this evening.
Right before I set the table for supper, we called Pop-pah to wish him a Happy Birthday. He and Maxx talked for 29 minutes non stop. It was so sweet. My Dad sends Maxx a letter each week with find the "six differences". (like this one.<-do the faces freak you out as much as me...lol)
Back story: While we lived in Texas Pop-pah and Maxx would read the paper on Sunday and when they got to the comics they would try and find the "six differences" between the two pictures.
Since we moved to Oregon, my Dad has kept up that special weekly tradition. Each week Maxx gets a letter in the mailbox and if it is there...he can not hold or carry ANYthing he may have been. Then he proudly walks down the hall and up the stairs holding it with both hands, 'till we get into our apartment...he starts opening it as fast as he can, just beaming. Inside is a clipped "difference!" from the newspaper and a card. After a few mailings my Dad started adding a photo of different memories too. Maxx and I have put together a little photo album to hold it all in one place. Maxx looks at it every single day, it is so special to him. He has each letter memorized and loves to "read" them out loud to me.
This week Maxx has the opportunity to take something for show and tell at his school, and he wants to take his photo album and tell his schoolmates all about it.
Tonight on the phone he had a little practice by telling Pop-pah all about his album and he "read" each card, by heart, back to Pop-pah.
It was the sweetest conversation I have ever heard.
Happy Birthday Dad!!!
1 comment:
Awwww. Teary me. What a sweet family. You are doing it!
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