Lego Inspiration.

Once again, this week it's just my son and I.
Like many families, my other half is gone for work.
It could be a day, a couple days, a week or two.  
This time it is a week.

The duration of his absence does not feel as long as it did the first few years.
I've adjusted personally, but not completely as a mom.
Now I have to find ways of occupying every minute of the day.

I am sure I am not the only mom whose had this moment of panic.
I cannot tell you how to fill all the hours of the day on your own.
Today though, I stumbled upon an easy solution any mom can do, slow motion animation.
Read on if you would like to know the steps to my new secret.

The highlight of a normal day is when daddy comes home. 
He will be plastered to the living room windows. The face and finger prints show a progression from each pane to another as he paces in anticipation. 

Then the moment of arrival.
Peals of joy and shouts of exclamation are kept in time with the percussion of his jumps which shake the dishes in the cupboards above my head as I cook dinner.
I breathe in and out slowly as a smile spreads to my face.

Help has arrived!
No longer am I the sole source of entertainment. 
My bag of tricks can once again be wondrous come morning. 

From the moment the dog is fed and we all sit down at the table, my day is feels done. 
The evening is my treasured time of day. 
My son is happy with his dad and I can work...uninterrupted!

Now from sunrise to sunset I am responsible for filling every minute.
The simple solution is to let the TV be the substitute parent.
I don't believe in letting my son watch much TV.

My secret...Legos.
(Keep reading! I promise this is good and easy.)

I had never played with Legos until I had a son.
My husband is an engineer and my son is his mini-me, in looks and interests.
(Poor kid inherited his Koosh Ball hair. Oh, if only it were still the 80s!)

Tired of hear "Oh Mommy! That's not quite right."  from my four-year-old, I sat back and pulled out my camera. As he started over, inspiration struck.

Stop motion animation!
It's simple. 
Follow these steps and you will become Super Mom (or dad) in your kids eyes. 
(I have a son, so these steps will be written as I know them. Substitute your child(s) gender(s) appropriately.)

1. Make a pile of Legos needed to make the car.
2. Take a picture.
3. Kid completes step one of the instructions. 
4. As he looks over what to do next, take a picture.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the car is built.
6. Roll the car it in increments until it reach the end of the box/table. 
7. Then I had my son take it away as I snapped a couple pictures.
8. Take a picture of the empty surface.
9. Put pictures in a movie making software. Windows Live Movie Maker came with my laptop.
10. Add captions and music.

Then watch the magic!
At first my son didn't understand why I was taking pictures, but then his watched the movie. 
His face was priceless as he whispered, "Wooooow!". 
We watched it over ten times in a row before he looked at me with reverence and asked, "Can we do that again?".

The week is half over, and he still hasn't bored with this magic trick.
It has passed the time quickly and productively.
Give it a try and share your creations with me!
Use either the comments box, facebook,or email me directly at sarahjorichards@gmail.com.