Wonderlab

We recently visited Wonderlab. It is a mini-science lab for kids of all ages (0-110). My girlfriend and I took our kids, thinking it would be a relaxed Monday morning. Our plan: 9am - meet at Jazzmin's house to carpool to Wonderlab (actual time: 9:45am); 10am - head to Wonderlab for fun and excitement; 12pm - lunch; 1pm - nap. Okay so those of you with kids, know that schedules mean nothing in the mind of a toddler. We get to Wonderlab and it is amazingly slow for it being Martin Luther King Jr Day...no school...where are all of the kids? I look behind me in line.....ooooohhhhhh! there they are. A line stretching out of the doors formed quickly enough to start a mini assembly line of coat hanging and change jumbling. Most parents groaned and grunted as they scrounged around for money to pay the admission and others, those more prepared had their membership cards in hand ready to flash them to the attendant at a moment's notice. I, on the other hand had misplaced the paperwork for our membership, or rather Esau's membership (a birthday gift from grandma & grandpa). Everyone groaning and staring as I dug through the envelope again and again. I was holding the line up, kids were starting to get upset that it was taking so long, some parents let their kids just run on ahead and told them they'd catch up. Was I really being that inconvenient? maybe so, nonetheless, I was not turning around and walking out without allowing Esau to have his fill. I finally insisted that the front desk lady look up who purchased the membership...and....vioala! It appeared ready for us to receive our temporary card and cross the thresh-hold into science mania! Esau was engrossed in all of the activities available to play on, in, through, with, etc. It was amazing! Esau and his pal Owen had an absolute blast running around the toddler friendly activity center, while Jazzmin and I were able to just relax and them be kids. No crazy things to have to worry about. Everyone was there for the same reason, to let their kids have fun and learn all at the same time...whether they knew it or not! It was the most fun Esau had had in a long time...we sure will miss Jazzmin and Owen when they move away.

"Mine...no, mine"

"mine....no.....mine," he says. "That is yours and this is mine," I respond. "yeah," in agreement, he confirms. These are our typical conversations throughout the days. As I have been off for almost 2 weeks now, I have been able to be the mom I've always wanted, blessed be the holidays and summer vacations! I cook almost all day, clean a bit (when Esau goes to bed) and do things that are needed done and then a little more. We go to the store, go to friends' houses to play, take walks, play in the snow, and play in the house. Being domestic is something I truly enjoy and will take the opportunity at any time it may present itself.

Erik came home early today from work, it was a pleasant surprise. Our conversation went like this:

"How was work?"

"Good (pause) Aaron got kinda frazzled at work today."

"Oh, over what?"

"Over my knowing the state tree of Indiana."

"Well, what is it?"

"He said it was Sycamore and I said it's Poplar. Do you know?"

"Hun, I wouldn't have any idea"

"Oh (pause) well Aaron was pretty upset that it was in fact Poplar, he was upset enough to say that google didn't know anything"

"Well, at least he really knows what the state tree is now"

"Yeah, I guess so"

It is amazing the knowledge that is locked inside of Erik's brain that doesn't come out until some tid bit is needed to either confirm or reject a stated fact....9 out of 10 times, Erik is correct in remembering this knowledge accurately. To have this skill would be absolutely awesome. Where does it come from? How does he harness this talent? Where does all of that knowledge fit? His head is of average size, definitely not abnormally small, he has had average experiences, and many of these experiences are everyday life experiences, where does it all come from?

I noticed the same type of knowledge and experience building in Esau. Maybe this is why he is so smart. Does it begin so soon? does it begin at birth? nursing? being carried? loved? disciplined? playing? maybe it's a combination of all of these things...fruit for thought, huh? What ever it is, I noticed that Esau has very similar qualities when it comes to learning and retaining knowledge of experiences past.

"Mine...no.....mine" "That is yours....this is mine" "yeah" (nodding in agreement) He is always amazing. He has learned so much in such a small amount of time.