From the Blog-O-Sphere

We were at the wading pool yesterday with some friends and as I watched Ben, I realized that I have a very adventurous, social kid that is trying desperately hard to learn all those little nitpicky rules of polite society - but hasn’t quite grasped them yet.

The girl he tried to ride like a horse will agree with me on this.

He’s fearless: he plunged right into the ‘deep end’, which was filled with big, noisy kids and spent the entire time splashing, grabbing beach balls, and having a jolly good time. But the rules of conduct that are clear to a four year old, or even a three year old, are lost on him.

He has figured out that he gets a reaction (and attention) through various activities: hugs, kisses, sweet words, and....hitting. But his little brain hasn’t yet managed to separate the two types of reactions. I know an 11 year old that is just now figuring this out so I’m not expecting it to happen overnight - but apologizing to the horses boys and girls that are on the hard end of Ben’s social experiments is often embarrassing.

So basically we’ll either end up with a charmingly well-adjusted, socially-adept kiddo or a sociopath.


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In other news from around the internet:

Chris, I have found you the PERFECT off-road RV.

How to photograph a 45 foot whale. At the very least, check out the picture. It’s amazing. Chris is determined that we’ll visit Antarctica someday. I’m game - so long as he goes great white shark diving with me off the coast of Mexico’s Guadalupe Island. Yes, in a cage. I’m not completely insane. Who else wants to join us?!

The pros and cons of being tall. Chris can tell you all about the woes of looking for shirts that aren’t made for sumo wrestlers.

When we visited the Monroe Reptile Zoo last month, we got to meet Pete and Re-Pete, the two headed turtle.

Story of a 5 year old Avenger, meeting the Avengers. You rock, Loki.

Can’t find the (often hidden/concealed) access points to the public beaches in Malibu? There’s an app for that. 

Recently re-discovered aerial photographs could potentially shed some light on Amelia Earhart’s last months. The aerial photograph experts at my old engineering company are simply giddy. It’s cute.

Looking for a co-op preschool in North Seattle? Ben and I were so lucky to be part of the Victory Heights Toddlers program last year. The class is taught by an extraordinary teacher, Monica, who is also a former opera singer. You’d better believe she’s fantastic at singing, reading, and acting with the kids. And when she gives impromptu operatic performances, she has the parents crying.

Dawn is the parent education teacher and we were lucky to have her: thoughtful, knowledgable, empathetic, and completely in tune with the trials faced by parents of two year olds. She was my go-to person for advice this year.

Victory Heights is a wonderful program, led by amazing teachers and has (in my opinion) one of the best facilities (next to a park!). I highly encourage you to check it out. They cater to children ages 2 - 5. Plus, at their yearly picnic, they have a PAINT-A-TRUCK event. Puts touch-a-truck to shame. :)

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The latest Benism:

"Garbage truck, HEY! DON’T TAKE MY GARBAGE!!!”

Ben hasn’t quite grasped the concept of a garbage truck yet, evidently.

xo,

Sonja