"You know you're going to the dance with that boy"

About a month ago we realized that we'd forgotten something in the normal course and development of our third child.  You see I suppose that we had just become a bit lazy in his parenting.  The first two have turned out pretty good so far and so we must just 'know how to do it'. But some times there are gates a child must pass through for successful development.

One of those gates in this day and age is viewing the Toy Story series (except #2, #2 was terrible.)  The other is watching Star Wars episodes IV, V, VI, I, II, III--in that order.

For example, when TSIII came out several years ago Mackay was in full Buzz Lightyear mode.  We happened to be in a theater in Albuquerque watching it with Fat Matt and Yvette Jones. In the opening imagination scene the evil Dr. Pork Chop is about to rob the old western train when out of no where Buzz swoops in.  He appears larger than life on the screen to save the day and Mackay springs up on top of his plush chair, launches his right arm in the sky while planting his left arm firmly on his hip and SCREAMS "BUZZLIGHTYEARSTARCOMMAND!!!" I didn't mistype, it was all one word. The whole place erupted in wild laughter.  Cutest thing I'd ever seen. That is what a child should experience.

Throughout the course of raising three boys our Toy Story dvd's have become rather scratched up, bent up, gummed up and consequently unusable.  Michelle recently sent them back to Disney for a small fee to be replaced and now we have a brand new series set. It was time for David's education to be completed.

Tonight for Friday Night Movie Night, we watched Toy Story 3.  What a great movie.

David was engrossed throughout the entire thing.  Indeed we all were, myself included. So much so in fact that I kind of forgot that David was watching.  Even when Lotso trapped all the toys and began threatening them with being thrown in the garbage.  But I noticed my neglect shortly thereafter when a tearful boy sobbed--unable to take his eyes off the tv, as he carefully walked across the dimly lit body strewn room. He made his way over to my open arms.  Lotso refused to push the stop button and the toys were doomed to a certain death by incineration and my sweet little D. T. cried uncontrollably. We cuddled so hard. I did everything we could to make him feel safe but he felt so bad for those little toys. It was really a sight to see.

He's a tender little guy. And I love him very much. It was sad and emotionally driving.  Perhaps III was a bit too much for David but in the end I think he made it through all right.

Now it's time to find out who Luke's father is.  Michelle had nightmares for weeks after I made her watch Star Wars for the first time. The best nightmare was one where the emperor commanded her to removed her neck brace and when she refused he shot lightning bolts at it and slammed it against a wall while she ran away holding her neck, screaming.

But I'm pretty sure he's ready.  I'll have to take video of that one. (So he can use it in the therapy sessions later on).