Ask Google

It's a feature I've avoided, being generally creeped out by the concept of talking to my handheld device. More precicsely, I am creeped out by that moment when my phone informs me it is listening to me.

But when I showed Sebastian how to ask Google a question on my new tablet, he was enchanted. He keeps coming up with new questions he needs to ask it, when we're drivng in the car, when we're walking down the street. And he holds onto those questions until we have an internet connection, and I can agian grant him access to this magical oracle.

"Okay Google" meets the insatiable curiosity of a four year old. It's a synergistic combination. Questions my particular four year old has asked Google so far:

Is there really such a thing as a volcano that sprays cold lava?
What are the Star Wars movies like?
What does it look like inside your body?
How do you make a tv show?
Is there really such a thing as a robot arm?

Question he came up with in the car on the way to Preschool this morning, and will no doubt be awaiting his chance to ask when he gets home:

"How do you make chocolate?"

It didn't matter at all that I was also able to offer him an answer to this question. After I gave  him my best answer, he wanted just as keenly to ask Google. Which is the point where I started to wonder if I was being obseleted by this new thing - a machine that can answer a four year old's questions, tirelessly, and without irritation.

I still am sometimes amazed when I realise that this isn't just the world my kid lives in, this is the only world he's ever lived in. This is not magic to him, or the amazing stuff of sci-fi novels made real. It's just everyday life. This tablet is just an ordinary household object.

Being a Baddy

Sebastian being Darth Vader. This is his bad guy face.



So scary!

Marble Run

Sebastian's marble run course made with regular blocks. He got his 4 year old vaccinations yesterday, which is why he has the band aid on his arm.

Movie time and new haircut

Watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Ange while eating popcorn out of a skull. Brand new haircut courtesy of Ange. Isn't it super cute??

More Birthday Photos

Sebastian playing shop at the Te Papa children 's area, selling us sweets. "You know these ones are better than these ones."



Sharing his milkshake with Daddy.

Birthday Boy

In his new bunny bath robe, opening his birthday chocolate. He was so generous about sharing that chocolate!



Sebastian and Daddy checking out his new marble run blocks.



New bike from Grandpa and Tutu

Preschool Cat

The cat that lives Sebastian's preschool, napping in the reading corner.

Preschool Cat

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Cat that lives at Sebastian's preschool, napping in the reading corner.

Rainbow

Sebastian making a rainbow with popsicle sticks thus morning. I helped with what order the colours go in, which prompted me to sing Roy G. Biv by They Might Be Giants. He listened closely then started singing it to himself. I looked it up on Spotify and we listened to on repeat on the way to preschool.

After making the rainbow shape, he decided he wanted to make it a circle.

Sebastian's Game

It was time to stop playing Iko (the video game) for the evening. So he decided to build his own version. He was up late making it. Loren and I took turns playing it through with him in the morning. Sebastian played the part of the game itself, moving parts when a lever was pulled and so on. He made many additions and alterations along the way, of course. And last night before bed time, he and Loren ended up playing Sebastian's game instead of the actual video game.

Baking Project

Intent on a baking project. He picked the ingredients when we went shopping - mushrooms, Himalayan pink salt, rice crackers, and apples. Here he has ground up some rice crackers and is adding some salt.

Isa and Sebastian

Going around the poles. This was a sign frame near the library. We never made it to the park. Things on the way were too fascinating.

Vivarium

We visited the East Bay Vivarium on our way out of town yesterday. Sebastian was very excited to see some turtles.



Especially this big outdoor tank of red eared sliders. "I'm one of the turtles!" he told me just before I took this picture.

Zev and Sebastian

Playing with the story cubes.

The Cafe is Open

Sebastian playing in the play house at Emily and Joshua's house.

Turtle Puppet

At the library

Amy reads Sebastian some books at the Berkeley library.

Dinner at Brett and Erica's

Sebastian tweaking Alex's nose; cousins Luca and Giovanni in the background.



Brett and baby

Brunch in Berkeley

Sebastian and Tony bonding over video games.

Moby Wrap

Sebastian found our old Moby wrap. When I told him what it was for, he wanted me to put it on and he would be the baby. He liked it.



We had fun with it. He didn't want to get out of it!



This is Sebastian's tough guy face, by the way. Eventually my back was getting sore so we lay down on the couch with him still in it and I read him a book.

Bean

This is Sebastian with a massive runner bean from my garden. I have been growing them for dry beans this year. Which he discovered yesterday. He wanted to know what the big bulge in a bean pod was. When he discovered this bean inside, it quickly became one of his treasures.

Harvest

French beans, Apple cucumber, and yellow crookneck squash.

Playing Hooky

An impromptu trip to Paraparaumu, just Sebastian and me. We chilled at the cafe. Played on the playground. Climbed trees. Messed about on the beach.



The "fishing net" at the cool nautical themed playground. I caught a fish too cute to eat.

I Am A Robot

New use for old Christmas Cracker packaging.

Pancakes

Sebastian has been doing completely self led baking experiments lately. Yesterday's ended up being pancakes! He helped me cook them of course



This was the first baking experiment that he actually liked eating as well. He had 3 or 4. I had one too they were pretty good!

Sparkly Mask

This is his good guy mask. Also the entire floor of his room is covered in glitter now. And also the garage. "I'm making the whole house beautiful!"

Crafty

Sebastian has on a mission of making things lately. Here he is busy making things with the modelling clay we got last weekend.



And here's what happened after I gave him some yarn yesterday.