Watching Esme Learn

     We've been watching Esme struggle to figure out how to get to things on her own, whether it be a toy, a mirror, or the tag on a blanket, and we can tell she's close to figuring things out.  She's had her knees under her, her arms under her, even both at once, but crawling still hasn't started.  Just this morning, I watched her reach forward from a sitting position to try to get a bauble.  She stretched out and touched it once, rolling it sideways, before sitting up again and assessing the situation.  I thought she might lean forward right into a crawl, but she had other ideas.  With seeming forethought, she reached most of the way over, put one hand down firmly, and stretched with the other hand to grasp the toy before sitting up triumphantly, holding it up like a trophy.  It is these moments that I cherish -- and watching her learn brings me more joy than I thought possible.

     She's also working on the whole standing concept.  I've had her use me and pull herself up to get her legs extended under her, I've set her down on the couch so she can use the back of it (facing inwards or outwards) to help hold herself up, and I've helped her grab on to various things (the coffee table, the railing on her crib, the back of a chair) to use as a support while she holds herself up.

     As everyone tells me, I should enjoy the current 'relaxing' situation instead of being anxious for the next stage, but I'm looking forward to following her around the house watching her explore her environs. And I wonder what nooks and crannies she'll introduce me to in this house I've lived in for nearly five years.

She may have to watch her friend, Logan, pretty closely.  He's a month and a half younger, but he's already crawling around.  (I wonder how they'll both be at sharing in another few months...)

Memorial Day 2012

     As many of you know, the idea of grilling for Memorial Day never really caught on in my primarily vegetarian existence.  Grilling for anything really seems kind of useless to a vegetarian, even with the possibility of veggie shish-kebob or Boca brats.  But this year, Esme's first Memorial Day, I really got in the spirit of things and went all out.








     Esme joined us soon after we started eating and wanted some of everything.

She had some water...

but she wasn't satisfied...

We offered her our veggie brats...

...which she tried, and seemed to be happy.

I guess I can do this whole grillin' thing.  (And now we're ready for the porch party!!)

Infant/Toddler Hour at the Library

     Every Tuesday, Esme and I head over to the local branch of the library for Infant & Toddler Hour.  They start the hour off with a little sing-a-long and possibly some stories, then we get about 40 minutes of open playtime.  The younger kids (those who are not yet walking) play on two blankets spread out in one part of the room while the older kids wander around playing with balls, wheeled toys, shakers & other noisemakers, and a really neat tube they can crawl through.  (I'm really excited for Esme to grow to the stage that she can enjoy the rest of the room, though that will mean I won't be sitting behind her and relaxing most of the hour.)


     Esme has several new friends that she sees every week, and I'm thrilled to be able to offer her the chance to see and interact with other kids her age.  She is enthralled by them.  I'm also happy to be able to interact with other adults during the day, comparing notes about new foods, milestones of growth and learning, and activities in the area that are good for small children.

Hey Dad, what am I supposed to do with this ball?

I love that she gets to see other, slightly older kids crawling and walking around.  She's mesmerized by them and studies them to see what she can learn about this whole locomotion thing.

She's also learning about sharing toys.

     One exciting thing about the area of town in which we live is the multiculturalism.  While in the room, I've heard conversations in Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew, Spanish, Korean, and even a little French one day.  Perhaps I'll try to join in with the Chinese conversation one day, but I can tell just by listening that I've forgotten more Chinese than I remember.

And she's constantly looking around and watching her new playmates.

     I'm just so excited to be able to offer her this experience.  One funny thing, though, is that I now know lots of new kids names, but I don't remember their parents names.  (Hi McKenna's mom, how are you today?  And how is Max doing today, Max's nanny?  Wow, Amaya's mom, it's great that Amaya and Esme are within a week of each other's ages.)

She found herself at the front of a train of kids at one point.