Father's Day In The Making

Yesterday I posted some photos I took of Chickster for Husband's Father's Day gift. But that's not all he got. Chickster made a very special art project for his Daddy.

Our trip to Mom's the other day wasn't just for swimming. It was a covert op, a black op, even. Except that there are pictures. I guess it can't really be a black op then, can it? Dang, I watch too many action movies.

I had to have help. I knew there was no way I could get this thing accomplished with just my two hands. And since God didn't see fit to allow Mommies to grow another pair after their children were born, I had to get some help somewhere.

The whole idea was to get Chickster's handprint onto a piece of paper in order to frame it for Husband. I had grandiose ideas of a perfect little handprint centered in the frame with lettering evenly spaced around it. Clearly, I was dreaming.

Have you ever tried to get a 9 month old's hand print? Wait. Let me rephrase that. Have you ever tried to get a 9 month old's hand print without getting paint all over him, you, and every surface within a 10-foot radius? It's not as easy as it sounds.

I broke out the finger paint, Mom held onto Chickster, and Fidget (who was home because she got a crazy bad sunburn the day before) was our photographer. We did a few practice runs, and then finally figured out a method to try and get his little handprint on the paper.

Most of them turned out looking like a blob, with sometimes a few fingers distinguishable. We were about done, ready to just pick one and go with it. Abstract art, that's what it's called. Then Mom tried one last time. Jackpot.

We ended up with a little red paint on Chickster's onesie, all over our hands, and minimal amounts on the counter. It's a good thing that stuff is washable.

The whole thing turned out well, and while it wasn't exactly as I had envisioned it, I think it's pretty darn cute. Husband thinks so too. (Well, he likes it - he didn't exactly use the word "cute" to describe it.)

No more art projects or finger painting for us for a while. I think we need to let Chickster get a bit older. Then he can create his own abstract art.