Ages 5 and Up? Bah!

My family will remember my United States map puzzle I had as a kid, with the state capitals and all that. I loved it so much that Aunt Lauren bought Robert one a while back. Well, he's technically too young for it -- it's ages 5 and up -- but he found it behind my dresser a few weeks ago. This morning, he brought it downstairs and started doing it.

Without help.

I could tell this story in two pictures -- before and after -- but Emily and I were both amused and amazed this morning.

First, Idaho. I don't know why, but Idaho came first, and became the linchpin for every other state in the western U.S.




He found Indiana, but couldn't figure out where it went at first... then he found it, stuck it in the middle, and used that to figure out the eastern states.




Every once in a while, he would accidentally knock a state out of alignment, which caused him great despair...

...until Mommy came down and pushed them back where he had originally put them.

Robert asked Mommy to come down for the last part.

He was pretty proud of himself.

Sometimes Mommy had to hold a state in place (in this case, Florida) so that it didn't move (and cause the aforementioned despair) when adding another piece (in this case, Alabama).

Actual video. I don't know why I didn't do this earlier, when it was more amazing -- at this point, he was getting tired -- but here's a little vignette I call "Up By Maine":



Then Robert decided he could do the rest on his own.


Done! High five from Mommy!

And... repeat.


Awesome.