The sippy cup and other home science projects

Little One is now a full-fledged sippy cupper. When you consider her morning, mid-day and evening servings of milk, that means I have 3 cups a day of which to keep track. It’s not an easy thing to do. My Honey cant understand how these cups go unaccounted for, as if Little One sits in one spot all day, and I just sit there watching her, but that’s not how it goes. She doesn’t down her milk, she savors her beverages and totes her cup around with her for a bit, as she explores throughout the house. Inevitably, she drops it off in some unknown place, and it usually takes a day or two to find it again, if Im lucky, because Im such a super, awesome housekeeper. And when I finally do find it, it’s typically in some stage of fermentation, a perfect blue ribbon entry to the local science fair.

And, Ill throw in a free tip, because Im handy that way; don’t even bother washing old sippy cups, you cant get rid of the smell…better to throw them away.

Coagulated milk isn’t the only science project we have going on here….

Just this week, we have had some little friends visiting us during drives in the van, otherwise known as the, “crap mobile” The pesky little fruit flies have been multiplying exponentially each day, and each day I holler at the kids to throw away any food that they have left in the back seat. Well, this morning, I crawled into the back seat to try to find my car key that Andrew lost (whole ‘nother story) and surprise, surprise, there was a blackened banana, swarming with fruit flies. Science topic #124; decomposition.

One lesson that has been particularly emotion-laden, has been learning what living things need in order to survive. When perky children come hopping home with new plants that they sprouted in a Dixie cup at school, they place it in the sun with high hopes that it will blossom and flourish. They quickly forget that said seedling is alive, and needs water. I have one windowsill filled with school-started growths, now all brown and limp.

Recently Christine noticed that her flower was dead.

“You killed my sunflower!” she screamed, with all the high drama of a tele-novella.

And some of you may remember our fish, Kovo, we had hysterical, uncontrolled sobbing when he was discovered floating at the top of his bowl, followed by days of pomp and circumstance, which culminated with a full burial ceremony down at the beach.

Christine has been begging for a parakeet lately, does Hannah Montana have a parakeet? Someone tv idol must have one, because she got this nutty idea somewhere. I have reminded her that if we don’t have what it takes to keep a plant or fish alive, it’s best not to risk the life of a bird.

Besides, we have pets. In addition to all the other educational goings on, our house has become a full-fledged ant farm. So, we don’t need pets, we don’t need visits to the local dairy or science museum, we’ve got all 3 right here at home.

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