Our Budding Artist

This summer, as a way to keep Sam occupied during the long trips in the car, we arranged for a Magna Doodle to make its way into Sam's life. What could be better than paper that never ends he could draw on to his heart's content?

The Magna Doodle was the gift that kept on giving. It was such a huge hit that once we arrived home, Sam still wanted to use it for extended hours during a day. He sits with it and draws shapes and swirls and lines and squigglies for hours at a time, letting us get work done or just read a book.

Invariably, though, Sam decides that he needs something he can imagine but not draw. When those moments hit, he waddles over to us and demands: "Dada, draw a car and a truck!" or "Mama, draw a boat, a big boat!" We oblige, which elicits more demands, and we end up drawing together for 20 to 30 minutes.

All around good bonding time.

Sam's drawings have become increasingly complex over the past month and he's started telling us what he's drawing. To give you an example of the drawings he leaves around for us to find, here's last night's final rendition: Recognize it? It's a boat, of course! And, knowing Sam, it was probably a blue boat, but after explaining to us in an I-can't-believe-you-can't-tell-what-it-is voice, we didn't have the heart to ask.