The other day Luke said, “Mama I wanna build something!” I was already busy cleaning up the kitchen and annoyed from picking up one too many messes that day – so I did what most moms at the end of their patience-rope do; I said not right now. Then I thought about it. I’m not in the best mothering mood and he’s bored; this would be good for both of us. “Wanna build a rocket ship?” He smiled so big, “Yeah!”

I walked to our junk-filled office (I swear one day I’m going to turn it into the cutest spare bedroom) and got tape, cardstock, paper, and crayons. Then I headed to the pantry where I had stashed an old Pirouline can for an instance such as this.

We cut and taped and colored. And I watched the imagination of my little boy take shape. How quickly this small and simple toy lit up his eyes and sparked an immediate mission of scaling down the barstool, where we had been crafting, and swinging his new rocket ship through the air. For the remainder of the afternoon, our house was filled with the sounds that accompany a rocket ship in the tiny hands of a 2 year old boy. From take-off and landing sounds, to the belly of the machine filled with Hot Wheels cars, to the bite sized spacecraft greeting daddy as he came in the house after work.

I’m thanking God for teaching me in that moment that all our babies want is us – our love and attention – and for us to meet them at their level.

Easiest + Cheapest Rocket Ship That Your Kid Thinks Is Awesome:

Supplies

+ Paper

+  Clear Tape

+ Crayons

+ Cylindrical Can or Paper Towel/Toilet Paper Roll

+ Scissors

Directions

1.) Cut paper to the length and width of your cylinder; decorate.

2.) Cut wings and flames; decorate.

3.) Cut out a circle and make a snip from the edge of the circle to the middle. Fold without creasing until it makes a cone. That’s your topper.

4.) Tape all pieces onto your cylindrical base.

5.) Voila!

–Amy