Shark Attack

Last Thursday was silly hat day at Oliver's school.  We were given, thankfully, a weeks notice for the big day - as I am not sure we could have pulled the day off if we'd been given less time.

When I read the May/June school calender aloud to Oliver he lit up when I said silly hat day.  For the last four weeks school has not been one of Oliver's favorite activities (in fact he announced the other morning: "Mom, I've thought about it, and it is time for me to retire.") and so when I saw the excitement in his face about silly hat day, I jumped on it like white on rice.  I started to brainstorm with him silly hats - his duck hat, his snake hat, his ski helmet, his hardhat... Oliver gave those hats a bit of consideration and then decided he wanted a shark hat.  I immediately started to think about how we convert a paper bag and perhaps a paper plate into an awesome shark hat.  Then Oliver continues...  "The hat has to have teeth and a mouth that opens and closes.  And I want it to be a blue shark; they are my favorite.  And I want the blue shark hat to be right - it has to be one that has the right number of gills and fins..."  My paper bag vision is ripped to shreds.  Before I can conjure up anything else, Davis jumps in and says - "No problem."  Phew.

Oliver and Davis worked together to make the most amazing blue shark hat.  Throughout the construction they talked about the blue shark - where it lives (temperate and tropical oceans), what it eats (fish and squid) and the nickname "wolf of the sea."  The two of them spent a good chunk of time getting the shark just right.  The hat has all the components Oliver requested - and more (e.g. inner foam for comfort).

Side view, mouth open

side view, mouth closed (note side lever used to open and close mouth)

Shark attack

Teeth - lots of teeth

When Oliver showed up for silly hat day he was swarmed by the other kids.  Everyone wanted to see his hat, touch his hat, watch the mouth open and close...Oliver waltzed into school with a huge smile.  I breathed a sigh of relief (the only drop off in four weeks that has not been tearful and has not involved me having to physically hand him over to a teacher) - then turned around to greet the swarm of parents who had gathered and to address their comments -- "Your husband made that?" (Yes, he swims, he knits, he does crazy science things, he can probably swallow knives while juggling monkeys.)  "Oliver is going to win science fair, ever year - isn't he?" (Probably.)