LEAP!

Just because.

Another One BITES the Dust

Why my son's loss of a tooth is a blog post is because I'm five years behind with doing any scrapbooks.

This is a virtual Post-It Note.  (I wonder if I should try to get these pages in that nifty aqua?)

Maybe more than a week ago, MLB excitedly let us know he had another loose tooth.  When asked it if was "top or bottom," he said, "Top."  (Figures; he's lost all of his lower incisors already.)

Now, because of his cleft, his top incisors are a bunched up mess.
I can sort of tell which are the secondary, I think one of the primaries is embedded in the roof of his mouth and the other primary never developed.  You could also swap the words "primary" and "secondary."  Even the orthodontist can't tell which is which, and looking at an x-ray of the upper dental arch, we find it's hard to tell which adult tooth will push out which baby tooth.

But the one he proudly wiggled for us was on the right side, overlapping another tooth.  It might be the primary.

Note that I said he proudly wiggled it.  This whole time it's been loose, I think he's actually been worrying it.  It's winter, his lips are dry, so he picks at his lips.  Which is a good time to worry a tooth.  Just a few days ago, since he hadn't said anything more about the tooth, I asked him if it was still loose.  More wiggling.

Today.  Field trip to Grissom High School to see the student theater perform "Alice in Wonderland" in an adaptation just for the elementary set.  Less violence and absurdity (let alone the whole "eat & drink" references that convince so many that Lewis Carroll was a drug pusher,) and more friendliness and morals.  I established a habit, back in kindergarten, of going with him on field trips.  I think he's old enough and socially comfortable enough to go by himself, but he likes to have me along, so I won't squander an opportunity to be there for him.  It's also nice to hang out with the other moms and dads; these kids will be together for a long time.

It's the usual: get to school (just at 8 a.m.,) check in, wait for the buses (which all 4 were on time for once,) load up all the 1st and 2nd graders and those parents riding the buses (which was most of us,) leave school and arrive at GHS, get our bus number and unload (#10-- MLB keeps track,) and get seated.  We were early for us, so the kids got to socialize before the play began.  MLB kept asking for a tissue to blot his nose (weird winter weather means early allergies.)  When the play began, MLB was fidgety; the sound was too loud, which has happened at every field trip show because I don't think the students on the sound board realize that a lot of short elementary students do not absorb sound as well as tall adults and that the kids are better behaved than you would expect.  As usual, MLB was much happier sitting in my lap so he could hide his face during the parts he doesn't like or have me help cover his ears when it's too loud.

He also kept asking for a tissue.  During the second scene, he put his hand out and said something.  I thought he was asking for a tissue.  He shook his head and said something (remember, the sound is VERY hot.)  I'd seen his hand at his lip, and as I'd given him lip balm earlier, I asked if he needed it again.

"No, it's out."

???

"My tooth."

Well, it sure was, there in his hand.  I luckily had an empty pill box with me, and I safely tucked the tooth away.  I gave him a tissue anyway, and I was surprised to see that when he dabbed his "window in his mouth," that there was some blood on the tissue.  He might have noticed that, but I didn't say anything.  No sense in creating alarm where there is none.

Then he went back to watching the play.

During intermission, I encouraged him to tell his seatmates, and to also tell Mrs. Seibert.  All the kids wanted to look in his mouth, of course.  I looked, too.  OK, seeing a bit of bloody pulp where his tooth had been was kind of gross, but the other kids were suitably impressed.  The second act of the play was quieter, and by his posture (still in my lap) MLB showed great interest in the conclusion of the play.  After the play he said he was interested in getting his picture with the Cheshire Cat.  (Played by the daughter of his 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Stegen.)  I tried to get a picture of him with her, but then ALL the class wanted their picture with her!  I've got a group picture, but you can't see that he's standing beside "Chessie," because he's the shortest kid in his class!

I was somehow able to get a picture of him with her, too.

On the bus home, he shared a seat with two of his buddies, "H" (who's also in Sunday School) and "J" (who's a reading partner,) and all three of them goofed off.  Well, H & J were goofiest, but MLB was not aloof.  His teacher tells me that most of the kids like MLB and either want to partner with him for lessons or make the effort to comfort him when he's upset.  The way they all like him and take care of him, even though he can act "different," makes her all misty-eyed, too.

Maybe our "normal" might get closer to the norm, yet.

Curse you, Meeblings!

At least once a week MLB comes home chattering about "levels."  His one-topic focus is worst on Thursday after computer lab.  For the longest time, I thought he said "Nibelungs," which make sense as a computer game character, especially since some of them can dig & the "treelungs" grow trees.  "Healungs" this, "derelungs" that, and the "feeblungs" which can't do anything.

He spent all of the walk home this week quizzing me on "how many exits are on level 1" and "what is your goal in level 5" and so on. Really, I'd had enough.  Especially since he kept asking me if we had this game on our computer.  Like I can get the school games at home! Or can I?

I asked him, "N-I-B-E-L-U-N-G-S?"

"No! Meebings! M-E-E-B-L-I-N-G-S!"

Meeblings? Alright... a Google we will go.

Meeblings was developed by NinjaKiwi ("more awesomer") (who have a pretty cool graphic, by the way.)

It features this lovable cast of critters:

It's almost like a gate-way-drug for Mario Brothers!  Each little critter makes a different noise when you click on it to activate its action (except for the Feeblings, which can't do anything.)

And when I say "drug," I mean mean "drug."  It is addictive-- just ask me & Scott.  (Don't correct me about that last construction; even as an English major, I dislike the stuffiness of "just ask Scott & me."  You can just ask me, it's my blog, I'm just sharing the addiction.  Any-hoo...)

So why would an elementary school allow kids to play this? (I hope theirs is a specially purchased version that doesn't feature ads.) Because it promotes critical thinking skills.  As far as I can tell, there are no hints or clues on how to complete each level to rescue the required number of Meeblings through the "Way Out" sign.  Each level has a name, which sometimes offers a clue, but that's about it.
Anyone playing it has to think about the action & reaction that activating each Meebling will have.  Each player will have to try & try again.  Unlimited tries, so there's no fear of "running out of lives." There's no point scoring, so it's not competitive.

MLB needs these critical thinking skills to learn "Yes he can."  He's great with facts, math, multiple choice, true/false.  But going out on a limb and exercising what he knows in a creative way; it's there that he has confidence and spontaneity problems.  He can be very creative, but he likes a framework and guidance.  He doesn't like to fail, especially on the first try.  This game is building these skills.  He even likes to play with the sound on and hear all the little noises.  (He won't play any other computer game with the noises.)

NinjaKiwi also has "Meeblings 2" with a different graphics style, two new characters and 50 different levels.  They offer a "Make Your Own Levels," which MLB is begging to try.  I'll have to talk that over with Scott.  To access that feature requires registering with the website, which I'm not sure we're ready to do.  But it is exciting to see MLB so interested in something that he wants to explore and to strive to succeed, and can talk about with other kids.

We'll see how it goes.  If I can just stop playing the game myself!