Snapshot Sunday

Play, play!

My puppy loves his rings. And I know he looks a little fierce in this photo, but he's not. He just really, really likes to play with his rings. This would be the second set that Cousin Louie, the Old English bulldog, has had to replace in recent months. Buster LOVES them. And Mommy had played enough for one day, so he was merely taking it upon himself to play a little more.

Happiness

In a lot of ways, Sawyer is different from most little kids his age. Being "quirky and cool" will do that for you. But in many ways, he's very much the same as other kids his age.

This picture from a few days ago made me smile, because it was simply a little boy doing something any kid would do. Just swinging, turning himself side to side, with the biggest grin you could ever imagine lighting up his face.

Happiness. For him and for me. I love to see that sweet, innocent smile on his face.

Three Computer Boys

Before the boys entered preschool, computer games were not a part of their lives. They were definitely deprived, if you ask them. All three of them LOVE computer time, now. It also helps (or hurts, depending on your point of view) that the baby gates are down at home, because now they have full access!

Both of the little guys have touch-screens in their classrooms at Early Start. Sawyer's class had one before he ever started, so it's always been there. And, even if it there hadn't been one, his IEP (individual education plan, for those of you lucky enough to have no idea what that is) would have gotten him one. It took a little while for him to get over his early aversion to the headphones (you know, putting something besides his hands over his ears), but now he's decided it's one of the greatest things ever. One of his teachers told us at open house last week that he will even reach up to the time on top of the computer station and turn it off (you know, if they dare to turn it on for him). Apparently he doesn't do time limits, he says. He likes to play the special card, as Josh says. He just flashes his cute little grin and most people (including us) have a hard time telling him no.

Xander's classroom wasn't equipped with a touch-screen last year or this year, and his teachers and I thought it would be something that would really benefit him. It wasn't in his IEP though, so apparently the teachers and speech therapist had a hard time getting the school system to put one in there. But, after some persistence on their part and requesting a trial basis if nothing else, it's arrived and he is LOVING it. His speech therapist told us just this afternoon how much it has really helped, that he's gone from just watching others work on the computers to actually sitting down and enjoying the educational games, doing well with some of his favorites like matching upper and lower case alphabet letters and also just general matching games. It's just one more way that he's participating with the rest of his classmates this year, and we love it.

So we have three computer boys. Connor does pretty well with the mouse and navigating around the one site we let them use at home, PBS Kids. The other two usually require help at home, so I guess I'm seeing a touch screen in our near future. If it will help with core concepts like letters and numbers, shapes and patterns, then I'm all for it.

Photo Flashback

Triple trouble. Back in the days when we could actually push all three of them in the stroller together! (September 27, 2006)

Why Buster Doesn't Like Them

Kidding, of course. But it is why he prefers to play with Mommy. Trust me.

Here is Connor teasing our good puppy, holding his favorite toy (the linking rings for tug-o-war) high above from the play fort, where Buster can't get to them.



He wants them, you can tell. He wouldn't be looking up so intently if he didn't.



Oh, wait, maybe he can reach them up there. He is a giant dog, after all. It does make us kind of nervous, since both of those back legs have had most likely painful (and definitely very expensive) ACL surgeries in the past. Connor, of course, jerks the rings back just moments before Buster could grab them.



So now Buster tries a different approach, thinking perhaps he has a better chance from behind (where the opening to climb up the ladder is at).



Connor doesn't like the way Buster is looking at him, with his very intent and typical "Play, play!" face (Over the Hedge, anyone?) My puppy doesn't know he's six year old. Let's just say that when Buster gets excited to play, you don't want to be standing too close. He get so excited his whole body wags, not just his tail. And he runs around in excited circles, all 165 pounds of him! Connor wisely tosses the rings out for him to have.



And he, of course, in his "Play, play!" excitement, brings them straight to Mommy. Surely she'll put down the camera long enough for a good game of tug-o-war. Surely.