The Times, They Are A'changin'!

I was three years old in 1979. This is what a computer looked like back then:

It cost about $3,300 or just under $10,000 in today's world if you calculate inflation. I had no idea back then that this contraption even existed. In fact my very first computer experience was in the 4th or 5th grade when I was 10. The blazing greenish screen hurt my eyes and all we did during computer hour was play Oregon Trail. I don't remember ever touching a computer during Junior High and very little in High School. We didn't have one at home either. I hand wrote everything. In my less than stellar college year (not years, you read that correctly) I not once used a computer. For the one paper I wrote that year(1994), I used a Word Processor. I didn't really become computer savvy until recently. And there is still alot that I don't know. Why the essay on my computer history? Because my almost 3 year old (in 20 days-gifts can be sent to our home address) has sat in front of a computer from the time she was a newborn, and started using it by herself when she was 17 months old. When she was 3 months old and I went back to work, Matthew was working from home. Sabine sat on his lap in the mornings while he did work. Often I would come home and they'd be sitting there working. When she was around 1, we started doing Elmo's World on there with her. She loved that. She'd throw fits when we closed the laptop up and put it away. This is Daddy, 18 month old Sabine and newborn Sarah doing Elmo:

When Sabine turned 2, she was able to sit in front of the computer and do a few things on her own. I picked games off of Sesame Street that only involved the keyboard. It would keep her busy for an hour while I got things done (Like having a DC and some chocolate). She'll be 3 in August. Back in February, she started using the mouse to navigate her way through games and programs that I set up for her. She can do everything she needs to on her own. It's great. Today at Nama's house, Sabine complained about being outside. Seriously, complained about being in the great outdoors, in a pool in the sun. Go figure. It was getting hot anyway so we went inside. She wanted to do Dora on the computer so I set her up and left the room. If I set her up on Dora, chances are when I check on her, she'll have navigated herself to Blue's Clues or Diego. It's amazing, or at least I think so. So she was in there for about 20 minutes and all of a sudden came out with a peice of paper on which she had printed something. I had no clue she knew how to print. But she does and I think a 3 year old printing off the computer is pretty cool. Here she is being savvy:

The paper she printed:Kids are so smart these days. More than once (okay, like 30 times maybe) Sabine has outsmarted or outwitted me. And FYI- Sabine does have computer limits. If she's on there for an hour it's because I lost track of time or forgot she was even on there. She's also right where I can see her and she does not know how to get away from the Noggin page. I know she'll figure it out soon enough, but I'll be watching.

Editor's (that would be me) Note- This is the most thoughfully put together post that I've done in a LONG time. I didn't realize how lazy I had gotten with my blogging. When I was done, I needed a nap. I much prefer the fluff I normally post about.