On Saturday night, while I was off giving a very important reading, Elijah announced that it was time for a "science experiment." We actually gave him a junior science kit for Chanukah, which largely seemed to involve dissolving things in water and mixing together different colors of sand. This was the first experiment of his own devising.

When I woke up with Elijah Sunday morning, he went to the refrigerator and pulled out a plastic cup. An ice cylinder filled most of it.

"What the hell is this?" I asked.

"It's my science experiment!" he said.

"Oh," I said.

"Let's put some Cheerios in and see if they freeze, too!"

So we layered three Cheerios atop the ice. Elijah also insisted that we include a few pellets of fish food and a grape. Then he went to the bathroom sink and covered them with water.

Every ten minutes, he went to the freezer to check on his experiment. By the time Regina woke up around 9 AM, the new objects had been encased.

"Wow," Regina said, in a less-than-impressed voice. "That's amazing."

"It's science, mommy!" said Elijah.

That evening, a green bean and some rainbow sprinkles joined the experiment, which was slowly coming to resemble a fossil-filled glacier. As if in unconscious imitation of global warming, Elijah has periodically melted down his experiment with hot water, only to refreeze.

Last night, Elijah got out of bed twice to check on his experiment. We had to assure him that the experiment was fine. Then he got out of bed twice to go poop. This was also fine, though he has now developed the annoying habit of not being able to poop unless the cat is in the bathroom with him.

Today, the cup sits on the kitchen counter, next to the stove. When Elijah gets home from school, the ice will have melted entirely. The Cheerios will have dissolved, or at least subtantially broken apart. I look forward to his response. What eternal mysteries next await my son?

Posted by at 12:16 PM | Permalink