When Connor grows up...

So the other day, Connor walks up to me and says, "So, Dad. What do you think I will be doing in 15 years? A) sitting in my pool, in my mansion, counting my money or B) rescuing cheetahs?" Before I could answer he said, "Yep, you guessed it, it's B!" (For the record that's totally what I was going to say).

Over the weekend he and a friend were playing in the boys' room and they built a zoo for his stuffed animals. Here he is describing it, as well as performing a much-advertised show. We got updates about the starting time very minute and then a rather shrill announcement summoning us to the zoo. Enjoy!

Yes!

I've mentioned Connor's habit of giving a big "Yes!" and doing a double fist-pump when something goes his way, so I've videoed him here. I really feel like this should be an internet meme. He's playing it up a bit here, but you'll get the idea I think. Sometimes it's more subtle, even stealth as when he's secretly pleased about things. But one of the great things about is that it is marshalled for happy occasions both big and small. So you could get a "Yes!!" from questions ranging from "Are we going to Italy this summer?" (which implies, will there be a lot of gelato?) to "Can we have a sleepover?"to "Can I have eggnog with dinner?" to "Did I spell 'brain' right?" Anyway, enjoy, and when something goes your way give a Connor "Yes!!!"

Connor plays with gravity and inertia

One thing that the boys' very clever mother has learned to tap into is the power of novelty. This doesn't mean buying them new things all the time, but rather that the well-timed re-introduction of a toy can be very effective and bring much joy to all parties, alleviating some of the "I'm bored!" comments that drive parents nuts. Lately we've pulled out matchbox cars to some good effect, for instance. This is nice for us too because it brings back the old days when we would watch Connor send cars down a ramp for hours at a time.

But Sarah scored a real success last week in bringing out the marble run blocks from the closet. Connor has been playing with them constantly ever since. We are frequently (every 2-3 minutes in some cases) called upon to look at his creations and marvel at his skill in manipulating the effects of gravity. Here he is describing one of his more elaborate setups to date: