remote control plush verhicles?

AM (age 8) and ER (age 4) received plush vehicles from my husband, who had gone on a work trip to NY. They had also received fidget cubes. AM explained to me this morning that he was playing "remote control car" where he pushed the switch on the fidget cube to make the car move and then kicked the car so it moved. He has ER included in this game. The creativity warms my heart as does the chow of brotherly love and cooperation.
AM also noted that having a police car to sleep with helped his nightmares last night. Whatever works!

divers are whales

At the aquarium on chol hamoed, I was talking as we walked with ER (age 4) about how different animals moved, with a focus on whale tails (up-down) and fish tails (side-to-side). I asked him to tall me what dolphins are. He guessed fish until the dolphin show. Then as we headed to the shark exhibit I asked him about sharks. He though they were whales too until he saw them swim. After that we went to the main tank to see the divers feed the big turtle and the fish in that tank. He took a look and said, "Mommy, divers are whales!"

equally important

AM and ER have recently begun to play together much more nicely.  Shabbos morning I was in bed, not quite awake yet and I hear them negotiating roles in the game.  "I want to be captain." "Ok, then I will be the commander."  And off they went to play.