Problem Solving

It's funny how a child's personality will unfold over the years, right before your very eyes. In the beginning, every raised eyebrow and giggle and frown and curious look is entirely left up to your interpretation.

As they get older, more and more of who they really are will be revealed, in both small and awesome waves, over and over again.

If you have two children, it's a little surprising that they aren't exactly the same. Did they not come from the same two people? Then how did they get to be so different? Scotty will be 4 next month, and I can't help but compare him to Tommy, who was 4 almost 5 years ago.

Tommy loved Blue's Clues, Scotty loves Fireman Sam. Tommy loved crayons, Scotty loves paint. Tommy loved Cars, Scotty loves Speed Racer. And, Tommy loved Star Wars while Scotty loves Star Trek.

Oh, how Scotty loves Star Trek! Erik is...well, frankly....Erik is pretty stoked. Erik and I argue, regularly, about which is better: The Next Generation or Star Trek. Unless you're a complete dork (and we are!) this argument is pretty moot. Also, you'd have to be a fool to pick the original series over TNG. Just saying.

Scotty watched Star Trek III this weekend for the very first time. He's seen Star Trek II many times (more than 5? Yes. more than 10? I don't think so...) and goodness knows we would never subject him to the hot mess that is the original Star Trek movie. So III is next. He watched for a few minutes, and then started gathering his gear...the large Enterprise, the tiny Enterprise, his Spock and Kirk action figures (from the new movie), his transporter room play set, and his phaser and communicator. Once he had all his accouterment in order, he hummed the theme song and played along, a miniature theater version of the film he was watching.

At some point, Erik and I exchanged a concerned look. Hmmm.....you do remember what happens at the end of Star Trek III, right? Where the Enterprise is blown apart? Oh dear. We whispered over his head, wondering what would happen.

He might completely fall apart. He might cry. He might whine and complain and ruin the rest of our weekend, unable to comprehend the horror he had witnessed.

But, once again, Scotty revealed who he is, and who he is destined to be. That kid didn't bat an eye. He watched in awe as the Enterprise NCC-1701 was blown apart.

Then he picked up his own tiny version, busted off one of the tails, and said, "The Enterplise is bloked. It got blowed up."


And then he went about his day. Scotty is not an hysteric. Noted.