Some people are sous chefs, but I used to have a regular gig as a sous Lego builder. However, my services are no longer required by Lego Master Shane. Can you imagine that? He no longer needs me.
As usual, Shane received many Lego sets for his birthday this month and he’s been happily building them without me, his trusty sous builder. This independence evolved slowly over the years from Mom builds the Lego while Shane “helps” –> Shane builds the Lego but Mom finds all of the pieces and shows him where to put them –> Shane builds the Lego but needs frequent help –> Shane builds the Lego and only rarely needs help.
A couple of times recently I’ve heard, “Mom I can’t find a piece!” followed almost immediately by, “Nevermind!” Lately my sole job has been to relax, drink wine, and then venture over to the next room when summoned to admire the finished product.
Friday evening, as I sipped wine without Rich while waiting for my next stint as Lego admirer extraordinaire, my phone beeped and I saw this:
Shane figured out all by himself how to send texts from the iPad. He had so much fun texting that he didn’t finish his Lego building.
The next evening, he made up for his building hiatus and integrated his new favorite form of communication, giving us blow by blow Lego building video updates via text.
Now if Shane hears our footsteps, he yells, “Don’t come in here! I’m not done with the video yet! I’ll text you!”
And then, beep.
I’ve been relegated to viewing his spectacular creations on videos sent to my iPhone. Even though I’m in the next room.
Next thing you know, he’ll be FaceTiming me goodnight kisses
(Wait – don’t give him any ideas!)
Or texting me when he’s scared at 3am.
Nah. No answering text could possibly surpass Mom’s snuggles when it comes to protection from bad guys or monsters in the middle of the night. Right?
Maybe those 3am visits aren’t so bad after all.
___
Here is the 36 second video of the finished product. He won’t win any cinematography awards anytime soon but he’s an awesome narrator – maybe the next Richard Attenborough.
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{ 61 comments… read them below or add one }
That is so awesome! Is that the Elemental Dragon set you went through hell and high water to find for Christmas?
You have a great memory Bee! This was from the same series as the Epic Dragon Battle but this is the smaller Golden Dragon, ha!
That is awesome. Isn’t great when kids get older? At nearly four years old, my twins are just about letting me have some of this: “Lately my sole job has been to relax, drink wine, and then venture over to the next room when summoned to admire the finished product.” They haven’t gotten old enough for the texting stuff yet. I have to prserve their innocence! Or something like that. . .
The texting surprised me, although it IS on his radar since his older brother and parents do it. It’s fun to see them grow up but also bittersweet at moments!
I love the sous builder. I was that for SO LONG with my son! That’s the perfect way to describe it!
I love, love, love the texts and videos (and he will SO facetime you soon) SO cute!
I had a long time of sous building b/c of two boys 7 years apart. But Shane is the youngest so my days are done! Maybe every once in awhile I’ll have to buy a Lego and build it myself just for fun!
Haha, that video is priceless! It’s nice to be needed, even if just for a little encouragement.
So true.
Oh, my! That’s hilarious. And scary. And great. All of it.
It is.
I text back and forth with my own and my steps all the time – even when we’re in the same house.
I still have a huge bucket of Lego saved for the far far future – when mine have their own children. Far far future.
My older on does it too. This just caught me off guard b/c no one showed him how to do it. He doesn’t have a phone but figured out how to text off of the iPad cloud. So clever. Hold on to that Lego – I’m going to save a bunch too
How cute is that?! I love the term “sous builder.”
It just popped into my head.
That video is adorable. I remember my lego building days, and how I spent endless time digging around in piles of plastic looking for the right piece!
I try to get him to sort it first, but he usually doesn’t spend the time.
Shane is the coolest kid, hands down.
Aw, thanks!
My 6yo’s first text was to his brother. “you suck butts.” Nice. He redeemed himself though. His first text to me was “I love you.” Ah…the many sides of a youngin’.
Haha, so funny! Lucky for him he didn’t text you suck butts to you!
Oh my gosh, when did I get so old? I just thought to myself, “this kid sounds too young to be able to take videos and send TEXT messages!” That’s further confirmation that I’m way out of touch with kids today!
It’s amazing what they pick up. Although, I didn’t even have access to these gadgets so maybe I’m more amazed than I should be.
That’s pretty cool, how quickly your son is picking these things up.
And while it may seem that your job is to now relax and drink wine, don’t be fooled. The jobs may change as time goes on, but you will always be needed.
Aw thanks. True though. I am my older son’s driving chaperone, until he gets his license (my kids are 7 yrs apart)!
Ha! Technology is getting crazier and crazier. I only got my mom texting last year.
My parents text too, although more on an as needed basis. Yay for your Mom!
Oh, you have the cutest kid! I love the addition of texting, that is so funny. And the video was heart meltingly adorable
Thanks Kianwi, I think so
This is precious and spooky how I am living this. I just removed a bit of Lego from my rear that I was sitting on typing this. I love hearing your son’s voice. The drama in the unveiling. My son is doing the exact thing. He googles these videos how to make things so now he’s making videos of his creations as me makes them. Videoing, texting — Legos. Another example of how the more things change, the more they stay the same.
So cute! Shane also wants to make more videos and put them on You Tube. I guess it’s the popular thing to do for this age!
too cute!!
i am looking forward to when my nieces are a bit older and have their own pieces of technology and then can teach me!!
Those will be a fun Auntie-Niece interactions!
This is great, Stacie!!
Thanks Fran!
My daughter got a digital camera for Christmas, so she has been making a lot of videos with it! Most of them involve singing Taylor Swift songs instead of Legos, though.
That’s so cute, but I think I’d rather have the Lego videos
Aww I think that’s really sweet!
Thanks!
Awww! I really kinda dig this. My three-year-old loves the iPad and we have to be militant about the time he spends on it… but this seems like a creative and applicable use for it. This kid is multimedia.
It can be creative but he doesn’t always use it that way!
Very cool legos! It’s fun seeing them getting independent but also a bit sad… My younger son is 5, and he is really into building legos by himself…
Technology is cool, especially when you first start using it!
I also thought it was great when our older son went off to college. We chatted every day on FB and texted frequently, and I really think it helped him. He is a Junior now, and I don’t get many text of FB chats anymore…
Lego is my favorite! My oldest is a junior so not much longer – it must be so weird when they leave for college!
Weird, my email notification about this post just came in. Anyhoo, it’s a fun post, well written as usual. With each post, I walk away thinking “she’s such a cool mom.” High praise.
You just made my day – there is nothing more important to me than high praise for the Mom stuff!
Ha! I love that he was texting you from the other room!!
My older son does that too. So lazy! In Shane’s case it’s more about the novelty of texting than laziness (at least for now).
I can relate to this. I am in the same Lego building position as you are- watcher.
Sometimes they’ll let me build, but most of the time I am told to hold the directions or turn the page.
That video was fun.
We are awesome sous Lego builders!
My son LOVES Legos! He’s into Minecraft now, sort of like digital building blocks.
Shane does Minecraft too!
Very cute! I can’t believe how easily kids pick up all the new technology! My kids will be way ahead of me very soon.
It happens to the best of us!
Isn’t technology crazy? But I love keeping in touch with my daughter via skype, texting and Facebook – even though she only lives an hour and a half away, I miss her so much!
It is great, all of the ways to stay in touch – for FREE! The whole video chatting blows my mind. It’s like right out of the Jetsons!
I remember the stages of lego building with J. Too funny that now he texts/videos you…to be honest, I quite like texting myself and will text J rather than yelling downstairs. Heaven forbid I have to go down to his man cave. Haha!
Avoiding the man cave is a really good reason to text instead of going downstairs!
I love his sweet little voice! Miss the Shanes-ter–give him a hug from me!
Will do!
This is awesome! And you’re right, he is a fabulous narrator!
So dramatic! I was surprised by that.
I know what you mean about Lego. Nyal has always been in control, but if Orin got a Lego while Nyal was at school then I had to help. Now they don’t even need me to open the box or the plastic bag. They squander them upstairs and I never see it again until it’s done. And I absolutely adore his cinematography and narration skills. Nyal’s videos are like watching The Blair Witch Project on crack – so you should be proud.