Pick Me! Pick Me!

Our local library's summer program has begun, with special evening shows every Wednesday night at 7 p.m. Last night's show was Mad Science--all about the laws of motion. Seth decided to stay home with Ed so William and I headed out just the two of us. The show was great and full of opportunities for audience participation. Every time the facilitator asked for a volunteer, William's hand shot in the air. And every time, she picked someone else. William stopped raising his hand after a while, and I could tell he was feeling discouraged. What kid isn't dying to get picked from the audience? What Mom doesn't send a silent prayer skyward that goes something like, "Please pick him, please pick him, please pick him."

By the end of the program, there was just one demonstration left. The facilitator said she needed a volunteer. William raised his hand and made sure he was sitting on his bottom. Two big kids in front of him shot their hands up, too, and were practically on their knees, obscuring William from sight. Then the clouds parted and the angels sang, the bigger boys sat back down on their butts, and the facilitator picked William! ("You--in the blue shirt," she said, pointing to William. "ME?" William asked, incredulously.) He sported an ear-to-ear grin the whole time he was up front, and I was so, so happy for him. He was helping to demonstrate the third law of motion--every action has an equal and opposite reaction--so he strapped on a helmet and kneeled on a little vehicle that was propelled by the release of high pressure gas (maybe dry ice propulsion?). He had to push down on a lever, which released the gas and moved him forward. He had so much fun.

I only had my iPhone with me, and the lighting was terrible. But I got some pictures!

After the program ended, we walked across the street to the park where he has his summer camp, and he showed me all around--where they play Duck-Duck-Goose, how they walk from the community center to the park, where they waited for the bus to go on their field trip yesterday. It was nice to spend time with just William, and I was just so, so happy that he got the opportunity to be picked out of the crowd. It's the little things, right?