diff --git a/src/runtime.js b/src/runtime.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab84cc8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/runtime.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+// Proxy ?
+// https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Proxy
+
+// A
+// function customDefine(tagName, BaseClass) {
+//   console.debug('intercepted customElement.define', { tagName, BaseClass });
+// }
+
+// new Proxy(customElements.__proto__.define, customDefine)
+
+// new Proxy(customElements.__proto__, {
+//   define: customDefine
+// });
+
+/* eslint-disable no-underscore-dangle */
+const backupDefine = customElements.define.bind(window.customElements);
+
+window.customElements.define = (tagName, BaseClass) => {
+  console.debug('intercepted customElement.define', { tagName, BaseClass });
+  
+  if (BaseClass.__secret) {
+    console.debug('hmmmm... wonder what could we do here????');
+    BaseClass.__secret();
+  }
+
+  backupDefine(tagName, BaseClass);
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/wcc.js b/src/wcc.js
index 53c7804..a1c772f 100644
--- a/src/wcc.js
+++ b/src/wcc.js
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ import { parseFragment, serialize } from 'parse5';
 
 import fs from 'node:fs/promises';
 
+// TODO better data structure for deps and hydrate function?
 const deps = [];
+const hydrateFunctions = new Map();
 
 async function renderComponentRoots(tree) {
   for (const node of tree.childNodes) {
@@ -52,17 +54,38 @@ async function registerDependencies(moduleURL) {
     ecmaVersion: 'latest',
     sourceType: 'module'
   }), {
+
+    // walk custom element class for internal methods to expose at runtime
+    // for supporting hydration and lazy loading strategies
+    async ClassDeclaration(node) {
+      if (node.superClass.name === 'HTMLElement') {
+        const name = node.id.name;
+
+        // find __hydrate__ method
+        node.body.body.forEach((n) => {
+          if(n.type === 'MethodDefinition' && n.static && n.key.name === '__hydrate__') {
+            const innerFunction = moduleContents.slice(n.start, n.end);
+
+            hydrateFunctions[name] = `(${innerFunction.replace('static __hydrate__()', '() => ')})()`;
+          }
+        })
+      }
+    },
+
+    // walk import statements to find other custom element definitions
     async ImportDeclaration(node) {
       const dependencyModuleURL = new URL(node.source.value, moduleURL);
 
       await registerDependencies(dependencyModuleURL);
     },
+
+    // find customElement.define calls and track relevant metadata
     async ExpressionStatement(node) {
       const { expression } = node;
 
       // TODO don't need to update if it already exists
       if (expression.type === 'CallExpression' && expression.callee && expression.callee.object 
-        && expression.callee.property && expression.callee.object.name === 'customElements' 
+        && expression.callee.property && expression.callee.object.name === 'customElements'
         && expression.callee.property.name === 'define') {
         
         const tagName = node.expression.arguments[0].value;
@@ -108,6 +131,15 @@ async function renderToString(elementURL, fragment = true) {
 
   elementInstance.shadowRoot.innerHTML = serialize(finalTree);
 
+  // link custom element definitions with their __hydrate__ function
+  for(const f in hydrateFunctions) {
+    for(const d in deps) {
+      if(f === deps[d].instanceName) {
+        deps[d].__hydrate__ = hydrateFunctions[f];
+      }
+    };
+  }
+
   return {
     html: elementInstance.getInnerHTML({ includeShadowRoots: fragment }),
     assets: deps
diff --git a/ssr.js b/ssr.js
index d5694e8..6d3e4e0 100644
--- a/ssr.js
+++ b/ssr.js
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ app.register(fastifyStatic, {
   prefix: '/www'
 });
 app.register(fastifyStatic, {
-  root: new URL('./lib', import.meta.url).pathname,
-  prefix: '/lib',
+  root: new URL('./src', import.meta.url).pathname,
+  prefix: '/src',
   decorateReply: false
 });
 
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ app.get('/*', async (request, reply) => {
   const { html, assets } = await renderToString(new URL(entryPoint, import.meta.url), false);
   const lazyJs = [];
   const eagerJs = [];
+  const hydrateJs = [];
 
   for (const asset in assets) {
     const a = assets[asset];
@@ -36,6 +37,8 @@ app.get('/*', async (request, reply) => {
     if (a.moduleURL.href.endsWith('.js')) {
       if (a.hydrate === 'lazy') {
         lazyJs.push(a);
+      } else if(a.__hydrate__) {
+        hydrateJs.push(a.__hydrate__);
       } else {
         eagerJs.push(a);
       }
@@ -49,6 +52,19 @@ app.get('/*', async (request, reply) => {
       <html>
         <head>
           <title>WCC - SSR</title>
+          
+          <!-- <script src="./src/runtime.js"></script> -->
+
+          ${
+            hydrateJs.map(f => {
+              return `
+                <script type="module">
+                  ${f}
+                </script>
+              `
+            })
+          }
+
           ${
             eagerJs.map(script => {
               return `<script type="module" src="${script.moduleURL.pathname.replace(process.cwd(), '')}"></script>`;
diff --git a/www/components/test.js b/www/components/test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..acf1391
--- /dev/null
+++ b/www/components/test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+const template = document.createElement('template');
+
+template.innerHTML = `
+  <style>
+    h6 {
+      color: red;
+      font-size: 25px;
+    }
+
+    h6.hydrated {
+      animation-duration: 3s;
+      animation-name: slidein;
+    }
+
+    @keyframes slidein {
+      from {
+        margin-left: 100%;
+        width: 300%;
+      }
+
+      to {
+        font-size: 25px;
+      }
+    }
+  </style>
+
+  <h6>This is a test</h6>
+`;
+
+class TestComponent extends HTMLElement {
+  connectedCallback() {
+    if (!this.shadowRoot) {
+      this.attachShadow({ mode: 'open' });
+      this.shadowRoot.appendChild(template.content.cloneNode(true));
+    } else {
+      const header = this.shadowRoot.querySelector('h6');
+
+      header.style.color = this.getAttribute('color');
+      header.classList.add('hydrated');
+    }
+  }
+
+  static __hydrate__() {
+    console.debug('special __hydrate__ function from TestComponent :)');
+    alert('special __hydrate__ function from TestComponent :)');
+    let initialized = false;
+
+    window.addEventListener('load', () => {
+      let options = {
+        root: null,
+        rootMargin: '20px',
+        threshold: 1.0
+      };
+
+      let callback = (entries, observer) => {
+        entries.forEach(entry => {
+          console.debug({ entry })
+          if(!initialized && entry.isIntersecting) {
+            alert('Intersected wcc-test, time to hydrate!!!');
+            initialized = true;
+            document.querySelector('wcc-test').setAttribute('color', 'green');
+            import(new URL('./www/components/test.js', import.meta.url));
+          }
+        });
+      };
+
+      let observer = new IntersectionObserver(callback, options);
+      let target = document.querySelector('wcc-test');
+
+      observer.observe(target);
+    })
+  }
+}
+
+export { TestComponent }
+
+customElements.define('wcc-test', TestComponent)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/www/pages/index.js b/www/pages/index.js
index 8de843d..608ca43 100644
--- a/www/pages/index.js
+++ b/www/pages/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import '../components/counter.js';
 import '../components/footer.js';
 import '../components/header.js';
+import '../components/test.js';
 
 export default class HomePage extends HTMLElement {
   constructor() {
@@ -35,6 +36,8 @@ export default class HomePage extends HTMLElement {
 
       <p id="spacer"></p>
 
+      <wcc-test></wcc-test>
+
       <wcc-footer hydrate="lazy"></wcc-footer>
     `;
   }