Max has grown self-conscious. I used to love watching him play alone. Ever since he was a little baby in the bathtub, he made the craziest sounds and had more fun than I ever did playing alone as a child. It was a joy to watch and to listen. I even have some audio recordings of him playing (I think from a Maine vacation). Can’t understand a word of it, but his sheer pleasure shines through. He stages epic battles and stories with his little hands and a mixture of toys and monsters from ages 3 to 8. Very often, when not in the tub, the battles are with play swords, guns, and polo clubs.

Max Playing as a Toddler (not 2017 but earlier)

He still plays like this, although not while in the bathtub anymore. Now its only in his room with the door closed. If I enter the room, he stops and asks me to leave. I leave and he continues. If I knock first, he answers the door but doesn’t play anymore (sometimes asking me to leave). If I enter and go into his bathroom, he’ll close the bathroom and continue.

So, he’s recently become self-conscious. But I wonder why…