If I were better versed in child development, I could tell you the name of whatever stage Emmett is in at the moment. It’s characterized by fugue-like fits of hyperactivity and, alternately, periods of intense creative focus. Lately, the creative periods are filled either with coloring or completing puzzles.
In Decorah over the weekend, Emmett and I found a sale on Melissa & Doug items and picked up a 100-piece puzzle for $11. It’s pretty cool. The main selling point was that the completed puzzle would be longer than Emmett is tall, a promise that spurred us into action the minute we got back to G.G.’s house. It’s a lot of fun to work on puzzles with Emmett; he really gets involved in putting things together, and you can almost hear his brain working away as he surveys a floor covered in pieces. We’re only up to 100 pieces so far, but Emmett insists he’s ready for the jump to 1,000 pieces. Maybe I can talk him into a 300- or 500-piece puzzle along the way.
