Exploration

I remember a time when Leah was immobile. At the time it seemed like we were anchored down by this little person who couldn't do much more than squirm in the little vibrating chair that we kept her in. Now when I look back I realize how easy we had it without even knowing it.

Once Leah was able to roam the house, we spent so much time chasing her down that we couldn't get anything done for ourselves. Cooking dinner took forever, cleaning was an impossibility and putting our feet up was entirely out of the question.

The irony of the situation was not lost on me. On one hand there is this tiny thing that isn't going anywhere that we felt had to be watched 24 hours a day, and on the other is a stealthy toddler who at any second could start playing with a power outlet or pull a carelessly-placed knife off of the counter. It's a lesson I learned entirely too late but one that I hope to pass on to other first-time parents. I'm not suggesting that anyone should neglect a newborn, just that a parent can be productive regardless of having a baby.

Now since Darcey and I both felt that we couldn't accomplish anything and keep Leah within sight, we sort of adopted a new policy: we just let her go. Most of the time she stays nearby on her own but she will often leave the room and explore her world. We listen for clues as to what she is doing and where she is. The Christmas piano has turned out to be a great tool for keeping tabs on her as has Daisy. If she has been quiet for a minute or two we will go find her. I've noticed that she can usually be found in her room reading a book on the floor or in the den sitting in her rocking chair.

Sometimes though she is getting into things that you wouldn't expect. She pulls Darcey's sweaters out of the storage bin under our bed and carries them all over the house. She will take any television remote within reach to any other room where it will remain lost for a day. And sometimes we don't realize how quiet she has been until there is a thump and she starts crying. A quick hug and a little reassurance and everything is back to normal.

Leah's exploring is fascinating to watch. She is not only drawn to some new thing that she has noticed, but she is constantly going back to things she has touched before. I think it's kind of like using flash cards to learn math. She is gaining knowledge and understanding by increased frequency and interactions.

And sometimes she just does something funny.

- Sefton

Fun in Kmart

Over the weekend Darcey and I had to go shopping for, of all things, a sleeping bag for Leah. We aren't sending her on a camping trip or a sleepover. We needed the sleeping bag because she moved to a new classroom this week which doesn't use cribs for nap time. Instead they lay out a bunch of sleeping bags on the floor and have the kids lay down for their naps.

Now for those of you who haven't been around Leah for a while, let me explain something to you. She doesn't sit still. Period. She never stops…well anything. She pulls toys out and spills them all over the floor. She pulls things that aren't toys out and spills them all over the floor. She dances. She runs. She squirms. Man, does she squirm.

So on our quest to find a sleeping bag we went from store to store, always putting her in the seat of a shopping cart so we wouldn't have to chase her through the aisles. She won't let us carry her (see the note about squirming above) and we wouldn't want to anyway because she has gotten so heavy. So after three or four stores, she was just done with the shopping cart. We had to let her go.

And we had fun. One of the things that Darcey and I have both struggled with since she was born is how to take her out in public and keep her from being a bother to other people. We have both gotten a lot better about going out with her, but I know that we needed that little reminder that toddlers belong out in the world too.

As for the sleeping bag, we found a fun colorful retro-looking one with a sort of abstract flower pattern on it. And, needless to say, I was shocked when her daycare report came home noting that she had taken a 90-minute nap on her first day in the new class.

-Sefton