One thing I’ve observed about Jeremy is that he always has a toy in each hand.  Even when he goes to the potty.  The psychologist in me wonders if it’s because he’s afraid of losing his treasures to his three older brothers…but that’s off the subject.

The other day Jeremy was playing the Leapster and urgently needed to go to the bathroom.  So we went through the routine, and as usual, he was holding his toy while going potty.  Yes, holding the Leapster.  Go ahead, tell me what a bad idea it is; tell me all the what-ifs.  Well, the what-if became an it-happened.  The Leapster took a dive right into the toilet.

Mind you, this isn’t just any Leapster.  It has sentimental value, as it is the same one Judi and Dave bought Jake when he was around 4 years old.  Same batteries even, since they also bought the recharger pack (excellent purchase by the way, I would recommend the same to any Leapster owner).  So the fact that it has made its way down through four kids is, well, special.

I frantically took apart the big pieces in a vain attempt to dry everything off, but alas, there was no bringing back the Leapster.  It had fried in the waste water.

BUT when one is resourceful, all is not lost in a seeming tragedy such as this.  I know Jake was secretly hoping that the Leapster was truly fried.  I’ve never seen anyone so giddy at the thought of taking a toy apart.  He knew there was bound to be a mother-load of chips and wires and microscopic thingamajiggers in it.  He showed such restraint.  And then he finally asked, “Is it okay if I take it apart?”

I had given up on trying to restore the thing, so I gave him the go-ahead.  Then the precious boy asked again, as he held the Leapster in one hand and a screwdriver in the other, “Just to make sure, is it okay if I take it apart?  Cause once I do, that’s it.”

“Yes, Jake it’s okay.”

So that’s it for the Leapster.

After disassembling the complex web of stuff, Jake pulled out his microscope and studied the pieces under it.

Moreover, he has already recycled it into another toy by taking part of the screen and making a “weird-a-fying glass” (think magnifying glass, only weird).  It distorts everything you see as you look through it.  I’ll count this toward his computer science credit for the year.