I kind of love this picture. Partially because Finn looks like a biker ready to take off on the open highway. Partially because his crazy mop of hair looks even crazier in the breeze. But mostly because Finn is wearing a shirt that he picked out. He and his mom were out shopping, and Finn just had to have this shirt. He is expressing opinions about more than food and water-play, which I think is pretty damned cool.
Finn and I also went to a pet store today. I expected him to be fascinated by the dogs, or maybe the cats, or maybe even the guinea pigs. I was completely wrong. The animal that fascinated him the most, and that kept his attention the longest, was also the one I found most repulsive.
Yes, Finn was completely entranced by a snake.
So I guess I can add that to the list of things about which Finn and I disagree. In addition to snakes, that list includes:
- “Car Talk” on NPR (I find it amusing, while Finn considers it a great reason to whine incessantly);
- Post-war big band music (Finn always finds the big band station on my clock radio, and no matter how I might try to distract him he becomes instantly discontent once I turn it off. I can only stand so much Glenn Miller);
- The optimal driving conditions for Finn’s remote-controlled Mustang (I try to keep it on the carpet where it travels more slowly but is controllable, while Finn always drives it on the hardwood floors where it goes like lightning until it inevitably crashes into a wall or door); and
- The correct TV station (let’s be honest - for Finn, there is no correct TV station, because he is always dissatisfied with whatever is on, but he is even more dissatisfied when we turn the TV off).
Another interesting thing that Finn seems to have picked up recently is the ability to generalize things. More specifically, he is learning that different objects can be used for different purposes, which was not something that he previously demonstrated. For example, he has a small plastic container that we use to keep a number of buttons and other small toys. Earlier this week he was playing at the sink and suddenly he stopped, got down, went over to his toy box, pulled out the plastic container, emptied the buttons, and took it back to the sink to use as a water toy.
It may not seem like a big thing, but it’s a developmental step that I had not otherwise seen Finn master. And he has started doing similar things with other objects as well. His progress may be slower than most, but he is most definitely progressing.
As much as he is changing, some things remain relatively constant, such as his love for hide and seek. As soon as someone disappears and starts calling Finn’s name from afar, the kid looks under every bed, around every corner, and behind every couch until that person is found. His persistence cannot be denied.
