Milestones

It's official!  Prince Tyger will attend pre-school in the Fall.  Papa Big T and Sweet Momma H have had to visit several pre-schools in the area, make formal applications and then schedule "play dates" at each of the options they were considering.  In other words, the Tyger literally had to "audition" for a place.  Evidently, places at pre-schools - these were all private options - are at a premium.  According to what his parents have described, the selection process is almost every bit as daunting - and as expensive - as for entry into university.

While they hadn't expected to hear from any of their selections until mid-March, he was accepted almost immediately by one.  According to the proud parents, the head of admissions at that school told them that Prince Tyger had "impressed them all" and that he was "way beyond" his age group.  Of course, Proud Grandmom has always believed that - what dotingly proud grandparent has not!  But it is always delightful to have one's belief confirmed by an independent and theoretically neutral third party.

One example cited by the observers was that, while the other toddlers were simply playing with dolls, Prince Tyger kept turning the doll around and around in order to find out where its noise mechanism was located.  The Tyger has always been fascinated by inner workings, and literally becomes engrossed in operational "hows."

In fact, he is so fascinated by innards that he often discards the externals.  For instance, Sweet Momma H described his treatment of his "Sleep Sheep" - a stuffed toy sheep that makes soothing sounds such as rain, ocean and whale heartbeats. Prince Tyger has removed its internal noise mechanism and carries it around.  The fact that it resembles a walkie-talkie likely helps.  He never plays with the stuffed animal itself.  He also likes to rig tow lines.

Evidently, Prince Tyger passed every "test" with flying colors and proved himself more than ready for "school."  One of the principal tests dealt with his acceptance of being separated from his parents to join the play group.  He passed this one too, at least for the "audition."

It remains to be seen whether that will always be the case.  Like Princess Butterfly, he is growing up way too fast!