it's only a paper moon, dunc

I decided it was time to do something quality with the twins this weekend.  Jack was sick next door with strep throat, so they were going to be stuck with TV and video games on the iPad and iPhone.  I decided to be a better Grammy and offer something different.

We were going to make a paper zoo.  Yes, it was an app I found for the iPad, but perfect for us to use together, in a burst of creative genius.

The best laid plans of mice and men...and Grammies.

It wasn't too long into cutting out our first animals in the paper zoo that I realized two things.
1. It wasn't as easy as it said the easy level was going to be.
2. Dunc was totally not into it.

I cajoled as I struggled to cut out the pieces of the seal (there were 5 pieces), and he followed directions and cut them out, but became more and more withdrawn and appeared irritated, heaving several loud sighs along the way.

I played ignorant of his attempts to let me know how bored he was for two reasons.
1. I was determined to do something quality with the twins, even though Dunc had told me earlier that Maddie and I could make the seals and he would just watch TV.  (TV? NO WAY!)
2. I have been artistic all my life and couldn't believe any grandchild of mine would be so uninterested in creating something from a piece of paper.

Maddie was happily cutting away, and trying to engage Dunc too.  He got more and more morose as he realized that he couldn't squirm out of this, until he finally threw his paper and scissors down, and put his head in his hands in utter despair.

I realized then I could do one of two things.
1. Force him to participate, even if it killed him (and I think he was thinking it might).
2. Give up on my expectations and let him be who he was.

I chose the second, because I will never be a Grammy who forces fun on anyone.  This obviously wasn't fun to anyone but me and Mad anyway, so we forged happily on struggling to cut and paste together a zoo.

We finally got the seals finished, and even completed Dunc's for him.  Maddie's seal had blue eyes, she thinks because it was a special seal, even though I told her it was because I was running out of ink on the printer.

Maddie asked if we could do another one.  I had fingers full of glue, and was tired from sitting in a child's chair that was one foot off the floor.  So I candidly told her that there was no way I was doing another animal today, but we could plan what to do the next time she came back.

She chose the giraffe.  Which is way up the food chain.  I know this because it has about 35 pieces to cut and glue.

I plan to drink a big glass of wine before we take on the giraffe.  Or I might decide to go watch TV with Duncan.

...life is very good. ~cath
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