My baby gave me a laugh first thing this morning. It was completely unintentional on her part - she certainly did not think it was in any way funny.
I had just got out of bed and wanted to check on my daughter to see if she was still sleeping. I put my ear to her door and thought I discerned a very soft sound. Careful not to wake her, should she still be sleeping, I very slowly and quietly opened her door, just wide enough to fit my head in. She was curled up on her bed, her back to me. I watched her for a minute. I still wasn't sure if she were awake or dreaming, when suddenly she sat up, and, two seconds later, turned around. When she saw me, her mouth opened in a short, silent shriek, her arms went flying into the air, and her eyes grew to twice their size. My first reaction was to laugh out loud at her reaction; that's when she knew it was me. She looked like she didn't know whether to cry or be angry with me. No wonder, and who can blame her? Poor kid's relaxing in her bed, when suddenly she turns around and sees a head peering at her from a crack in her door, which is in fact very reminiscent of the scene in The Tell-Tale Heart, where the creepy murderer very quietly opens the door to his master's chamber and just stands there in silence, watching the old man as he sleeps.
That was the first time I saw her frightened. It was real, genuine shock she experienced, poor girl. The look on her face was absolutely priceless. She forgave mommy pretty quickly though when she felt herself being picked up by a nice comfy pair of arms.
Sunday 24 July 2011
Wednesday 13 July 2011
She does everything but stand alone and walk
My daughter is now nearly 16 months old - and does not yet walk, nor does she even stand unsupported. But, strangely, she can do practically everything else.
That kid will climb upstairs in less than a minute. She will reach over the table and counters, her little hand coming dangerously close to the towel on which stand an unstable mountain of drying dishes (I wonder what would happen if I pulled on this? she must wonder, before mommy sprints towards her and prevents a disaster). An explosion of vocabulary erupts from her mouth, as she attempts to repeat every word I teach her. She can even point to her diaper and say caca. She can also pretend to be speaking on the phone: she puts her fist up to her ear (as though holding a receiver) and says hello? then mumbles something, says bye bye, and "hangs up." The other day, I was amazed at the fact that in reply to my question: what does a cow do? (incidentally, I had no pictures of cows handy, nor were there any in a nearby field, as we were, in fact, in the middle of the city) she replied, without hesitation, moooo! I had taught her that with the help of a book, only a few times before, but did not believe for one second that she would remember it, out of context!
But this is not all - she has also shown some inclination toward eating with a spoon (though she still generally insits that mommy feed her - it gets food to her mouth faster, after all). She will, once in a while, at the end of a meal, pick up her spoon and try to direct whatever food might happen to be on it towards her mouth. She is not always on target - sometimes she will get a cheek, chin, or nose-full of yogurt. She even understands that the napkin that is presented to her afterwards is for wiping her face. Sometimes she will grap it and pass it over her mouth - then insist on wiping the chin of the adult who has been feeding her.
So if she can climb stairs with perfect confidence, reach over tables and counters, learn new words each day, pretend to talk on the phone, make associations between animals and the sound they make, attempt to eat with a spoon, and wipe her own mouth, why cannot she walk, or at least stand on her own? I watch her, always thinking it's going to happen, but then at the last minute she always finds something to grab onto. She only once let go of a little table that was giving her support, and that only for a few seconds. She never attempted this feat again. There must be a reason for her being adventurous in so many other aspects of her life, but not this one.
Perhaps, because she is tall for her age, she thinks she is too far from the ground when she stands? I suppose it would be scary. Wow, that floor sure looks far away, she must be thinking. I think I'll just get closer to it before I attempt any sort of movement.
But then, how do you explain the stairs? Ooh, look, stairs, stretching up seemingly indefinitely. Wow, that sure looks high. I think I'll climb them! Hmmmm ...
That kid will climb upstairs in less than a minute. She will reach over the table and counters, her little hand coming dangerously close to the towel on which stand an unstable mountain of drying dishes (I wonder what would happen if I pulled on this? she must wonder, before mommy sprints towards her and prevents a disaster). An explosion of vocabulary erupts from her mouth, as she attempts to repeat every word I teach her. She can even point to her diaper and say caca. She can also pretend to be speaking on the phone: she puts her fist up to her ear (as though holding a receiver) and says hello? then mumbles something, says bye bye, and "hangs up." The other day, I was amazed at the fact that in reply to my question: what does a cow do? (incidentally, I had no pictures of cows handy, nor were there any in a nearby field, as we were, in fact, in the middle of the city) she replied, without hesitation, moooo! I had taught her that with the help of a book, only a few times before, but did not believe for one second that she would remember it, out of context!
But this is not all - she has also shown some inclination toward eating with a spoon (though she still generally insits that mommy feed her - it gets food to her mouth faster, after all). She will, once in a while, at the end of a meal, pick up her spoon and try to direct whatever food might happen to be on it towards her mouth. She is not always on target - sometimes she will get a cheek, chin, or nose-full of yogurt. She even understands that the napkin that is presented to her afterwards is for wiping her face. Sometimes she will grap it and pass it over her mouth - then insist on wiping the chin of the adult who has been feeding her.
So if she can climb stairs with perfect confidence, reach over tables and counters, learn new words each day, pretend to talk on the phone, make associations between animals and the sound they make, attempt to eat with a spoon, and wipe her own mouth, why cannot she walk, or at least stand on her own? I watch her, always thinking it's going to happen, but then at the last minute she always finds something to grab onto. She only once let go of a little table that was giving her support, and that only for a few seconds. She never attempted this feat again. There must be a reason for her being adventurous in so many other aspects of her life, but not this one.
Perhaps, because she is tall for her age, she thinks she is too far from the ground when she stands? I suppose it would be scary. Wow, that floor sure looks far away, she must be thinking. I think I'll just get closer to it before I attempt any sort of movement.
But then, how do you explain the stairs? Ooh, look, stairs, stretching up seemingly indefinitely. Wow, that sure looks high. I think I'll climb them! Hmmmm ...
Tuesday 5 July 2011
Playing with other kids
I can't wait for my little girl to start daycare - not because I'll be dancing around my living room with my hands in the air singing "Freedom! Freedom at last!" Not even one bit.
Ok, maybe a little freedom dance.
Actually, I can't wait for my daughter to have the opportunity to play with other kids her age. I cannot wait to see what skills she'll pick up. Though I'm hoping she'll at least be walking by the time she begins daycare. If not, I'm sure she will be soon after.
The point is, kids will learn from other kids. This weekend, we were at my aunt and uncle's house. My cousin was there, along with her husband and four-year-old daughter. My little girl played with their little girl the entire weekend, and by sunday, my baby stood on her own for the first time, for a full 4 seconds! She had been holding on to a small table, when she suddenly, and very much on purpose, let go! She teetered a bit, trying to find her balance, and just stood there, thinking nothing of it, while her mum watched, mouth agape and unable to move with shock. When my daughter put one hand back on the little table, I allowed the excitement I had withheld to burst out of me in the form of cheers and a profuse clapping of hands that got the little achiever rather confused. "Why is mommy so happy?" she must have been wondering as I picked her up in my arms and kissed her cheek several times.
I have not a doubt that this feat was accomplished simply because she had been watching a slightly taller child walk and dance around her.
Speaking of my little cousin, I would like to share a few of the stories I have picked up relating to her this weekend; some of these moments struck me as particularly surprising or amusing. As my only child is not yet four, I have no idea if some of the stories I have to tell will strike more experienced parents as typical of this particular age. I know that, to me, my little cousin appeared surprisingly old for her years.
First I must mention that I have a difficulty understanding most four-year-olds. I have had very short conversations even with six-year-olds that consisted of unintelligle babble followed by an awkward "I'm sorry, I can't understand what you're saying" (this comment is always received with an indigant look on the part of the child). But my little cousin's words are as clear as day (pardon the cliché - I usually hate these, and only use them in the case of an emergency). She spoke so well, that I actually offered to let her read a story to my daughter. "That is ... can you read?" I asked uncomfortably, realizing my mistake. Of course she can't read. She's four. Actually, her mum assured me, she has been starting to sound words out. "Oh, of course. Well, she can sit with us and I'll read to them."
On our first evening, I stepped out to the balcony to join my cousins outside. I found my little cousin in the middle of quoting Harry Potter, in a very Hermione-esque voice. And in her very best Brittish accent.
"Wow, that's very good," I said. Then added, very honestly, "I've always wanted to be able to do that." I tried to speak to her in my best Brittish accent which, honestly, couldn't hold a candle to her perfect imitation of Hermione, Harry and Ron.
Later, after she had watched me change my daughter's diaper, she pointed to a picture of elephants on the bathroom wall and said how much she loved it. "And what are those?" I asked, suddenly and stupidly thinking I was talking to someone younger. "They're elephants," she told me, eyebrows raised in a I-can't-believe-you-just-asked-me-that look. "I am four, you know."
Ok, maybe a little freedom dance.
Actually, I can't wait for my daughter to have the opportunity to play with other kids her age. I cannot wait to see what skills she'll pick up. Though I'm hoping she'll at least be walking by the time she begins daycare. If not, I'm sure she will be soon after.
The point is, kids will learn from other kids. This weekend, we were at my aunt and uncle's house. My cousin was there, along with her husband and four-year-old daughter. My little girl played with their little girl the entire weekend, and by sunday, my baby stood on her own for the first time, for a full 4 seconds! She had been holding on to a small table, when she suddenly, and very much on purpose, let go! She teetered a bit, trying to find her balance, and just stood there, thinking nothing of it, while her mum watched, mouth agape and unable to move with shock. When my daughter put one hand back on the little table, I allowed the excitement I had withheld to burst out of me in the form of cheers and a profuse clapping of hands that got the little achiever rather confused. "Why is mommy so happy?" she must have been wondering as I picked her up in my arms and kissed her cheek several times.
I have not a doubt that this feat was accomplished simply because she had been watching a slightly taller child walk and dance around her.
Speaking of my little cousin, I would like to share a few of the stories I have picked up relating to her this weekend; some of these moments struck me as particularly surprising or amusing. As my only child is not yet four, I have no idea if some of the stories I have to tell will strike more experienced parents as typical of this particular age. I know that, to me, my little cousin appeared surprisingly old for her years.
First I must mention that I have a difficulty understanding most four-year-olds. I have had very short conversations even with six-year-olds that consisted of unintelligle babble followed by an awkward "I'm sorry, I can't understand what you're saying" (this comment is always received with an indigant look on the part of the child). But my little cousin's words are as clear as day (pardon the cliché - I usually hate these, and only use them in the case of an emergency). She spoke so well, that I actually offered to let her read a story to my daughter. "That is ... can you read?" I asked uncomfortably, realizing my mistake. Of course she can't read. She's four. Actually, her mum assured me, she has been starting to sound words out. "Oh, of course. Well, she can sit with us and I'll read to them."
On our first evening, I stepped out to the balcony to join my cousins outside. I found my little cousin in the middle of quoting Harry Potter, in a very Hermione-esque voice. And in her very best Brittish accent.
"Wow, that's very good," I said. Then added, very honestly, "I've always wanted to be able to do that." I tried to speak to her in my best Brittish accent which, honestly, couldn't hold a candle to her perfect imitation of Hermione, Harry and Ron.
Later, after she had watched me change my daughter's diaper, she pointed to a picture of elephants on the bathroom wall and said how much she loved it. "And what are those?" I asked, suddenly and stupidly thinking I was talking to someone younger. "They're elephants," she told me, eyebrows raised in a I-can't-believe-you-just-asked-me-that look. "I am four, you know."
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