Web SIte

Aidan just informed me that he was "getting the web site ready" this morning when he was messing around with the computer and mouse. He also had his first "lesson" in using Kid Pix. He just turned 3.

Doe and Fawn

Saw a doe and fawn in the middle, grassy divider of our local highway. The fawn was very small. I hate to see deer and other animals in the middle of a highway, especially a fawn. Did not see any road kill on the way home so I hope they made it off I-91 safely. I understand that Europe does much more than we do with animal tunnels and bridges to help movement around highways. Especially with Jersey barriers, we have caused a lot of problems with genetic diversity because animals cannot travel to breed causing a lack of genetic variation in some areas.

Analogy and Perspective

Aidan turned 3 yesterday and I have noticed two forms of astract thinking developing. One is for analogy. One example was heard today while he was eating blueberries. He said that the blueberries with visble. long stems were like lollipops. Note that he DID NOT LIKE the stems. The second was with perspective drawings. While formerly he would ask me why the train tracks just stopped, I noticed recently that he is saying the are very far away.

Sharing

I was very impressed with Aidan's social skills at a bluegrass festival this weekend. First, he liked to say, "What's your name?" or just "Hi" to everyone walking by he found interesting. Second, he made tons of friends and seems to have developed strategies for starting play. The one we saw the most is when he comes up to a new kid and holds out one of his toys. We saw some other kids having a real hard time sharing and it was a big contrast. Not that he doesn't have his moments too. There were some midgets there too (not sure it that is the correct word anymore.) Aidan just commented that there were some little people and asked why and that was the end of it.

I have a dog training blog too if you are interested...

Good Whippet

The Blue Tractor is Missing

Driving to daycare yesterday, Aidan commented that one of the blue tractors (at a farm we drive by every day) was missing. I thought this was a new and interesting concept for him. That was the first time I heard him say that something was missing and it was part of a set in his mind.

Pulls Up (Not for the Faint of Heart)

My daycare provider has provided me with some life changing information. We have started to use pull up diapers to aid in toilet training. These can be pulled down and up easily for trips to the potty. I was thinking that maybe Aidan was not ready for them yet because when there is a poop, the poop would get everywhere pulling them down. She informed me that there is tape on the side so that they can be taken off just like diapers. Who knew?

Why?

Aidan is entering the 3 year old "Why?" phase. I was wondering when this would happen.

The interesting part is that after I give an explanation (as age appropriate as possible, of course) he immediately asks why again and perhaps even a few more times. I wonder what the repetition is about - perhaps a need to hear it again to gain understanding?

I wonder if this is related to a cognitive milestone around cause and effect. That is, he is ready now to understand that things have a cause and effect.

Answering these questions can certainly be a challenge sometimes. Why is someone sick? Why do Wyatt and Patriot practice sits and stays?