UNSCRAMBLED STATES OF AMERICA

Nicholas is in a geography phase currently. He cannot get enough maps, games about countries, states, or license plates, or books about all of the above. It is quite cute, and his encyclopedic knowledge of all things geographic is equivalent to mine when I was about twice his age. This interest, I believe, comes from his desire to understand his world and to become familiar with all that is out there.

More than anything though, Nicholas loves learning about the United States. He has already declared that New Hampshire is his favorite state even though he has never been there. He likes it because it looks beautiful in the books and because his mom and dad have been there. He has even made up his mind that he will go to college there. Dartmouth here we come! Go Big Green! Cate, according to Nicholas, will be moving to Connecticut, and she will also be attending college in the Constitution State. Go Yale Elis! Have I mentioned that their 529s have been tanking? According to Nicholas, Kathleen and I will move to Manhattan around that time, and eventually Nicholas will settle in "Brookland" because Sesame Street is there. As you can see, he has it all figured out!

Not just content to talk about states, Nicholas draws states incessantly. He can draw a map with each state depicted accurately from memory now, and he knows nearly all the capitals and license plates.



We have a license plate spotting game, and we have seen and photographed 44 of the 50 plates in the past month. If anyone can send us pictures of: North Dakota, Kansas, Arkansas, Mississsippi, Washington, DC, Delaware, and Connecticut, we would be forever grateful!

I hope Nicholas always remains this passionate about things as important as our world and his place in it. I have a strong feeling that that is the state he will always be in.