Little Man the Paleontologist

For his Birthday my youngest son received one of those bones in a rock to chip out. kit.  We have long since recycled the packaging so I really don't know what brand or anything.  It came with a pair of goggles, a hammer and chisel and a brush.  Plus of course the rock with the bones in it.

He has spent the past few mornings after his breakfast and chores outside chipping away at the bones.  He still isn't done cleaning them all out.  And that doesn't seem to bother him.

I am amazed at his patience.  He isn't always as careful as he should be, one bone seems to have a small tab broken off already, but for the most part he is slowly and carefully chipping away at the rock.

He told his father 'I need to learn to do this now so when I grow up I wont hurt the real bones."

In general Little Man doesn't have much patience.  He is a rather typical boy.  Full of energy and lacking in the ability to sit still.  So this week has been a real treat for me.  Especially since the mess requires it to be done outdoors. One less kid in this small crowded house is a real blessing! (Thanks Nana for the present)

He has always been fond of nature books.  One of the few items that will hold his interest.  He will spend hours looking at photos or drawings of animals, and memorizing the names.  Sometimes he even gets them right.  One of the many adult skills we often forget we have is the ability to identify which label on the page goes with which picture.

In other talents, I have seriously considered changing his name to 'Stunt Man'.  He is constantly throwing himself across the room, often right after saying 'dashes under the arm, and across the lava".  If you pay attention for a few minutes you will see him replaying the scene over and over again in a variety of ways.  All involving mad dashes for safety and some sort of 'pst' noise.  (swipe of a sword, or fist smash, or light-saber clash).

Other times it is an overzealous response to some imagined slight when his siblings walk past him, or he is asked to do an impossible task (like pick up a piece of paper).

Maybe he will be a paleontologist when he grows up, or maybe he will just play one on TV!