Tuesday, November 27, 2012

a day in the life of a curious child



How David became Scout’s new BFF
et’s cut to the chase here. I’m exhausted; and I probably will be through next Sunday afternoon. Consequently, squeezing out blog posts is going to be hit-or-miss at best.
But it’s all good. My reason for being bone-weary is 13-months old and beyond cute. He is, of course, our grandson, David Henry. His parents are two-days into a seven-day cruise and we get to be grandparents literally 24/7.
Oh, and this also happens to be the first time he’s been away from his parents for more than a short evening out.
It’s all fun and games with grandmama
AWESOME: But I have to admit David is one wonderful cutie-patootie. So I’ll simply share a few pics from the first day and include a little commentary to move us on to the next image.
First, as you can see from the opening picture, Scout Labradoodle is a big fan. She’s three times David’s size but gentle and patient beyond our dreams. Scout mostly stays prone and still, and pretends to be invisible. But mealtimes are providing foraging opportunities previously unimagined. Mostly it’s all about spillage, but David does slip his new friend the occasional bonus.
Maybe if I push this one here…?
MICRO-FUN: There are many ways to measure and predict intelligence. But for me there’s no better gauge than curiosity when it comes to babies. David has been a problem solver from day one and he loves to figure things out. So when he heard our microwave go “beep” he grabbed Mr. Elephant and the two of them trucked on over to take a look for themselves.
David doesn’t have the finger push strength to activate any of the buttons, but he routinely tries every one on the keypad just to make sure. Mr. Elephant looks disappointed.
“Look, another curve in the path. I wonder what’s around this corner?”
LIMO-RIDE: David got a little fussy after nap-time so we took a long walk with the stroller (a behemoth so big, by the way, that it will not fit in the trunk of my mid-sized car!).
I thought he’d maybe settle back into sleepy-land. But no, absolutely everything fascinates him. There’s this whole huge world out there, and he just drinks it all in. It’s kind of the same approach I’ve been advertising in a lot of my writing and speaking lately, and I recommend it wholeheartedly. I pray and I pray and I pray that David never allows the vacuous dullness that defines so much of our culture to seep in and take his curiosity away.
I pray and I pray and I pray that David never allows the vacuous dullness that defines so much of our culture to seep in and take his curiosity away.
STORY: Finally – and after a dozen more adventures comprising blocks, and shapes, and playing ball in the long hallway, and toddling faster and faster around the great living/dinning/kitchen circle that’s fascinated him since he first discovered the endless loop last Thursday afternoon… and so much more – it was time for an entertaining bath and then story-time with Grandmama Rebekah.
Story-time with Grandmama
And you can guess how story-time with Grandmama Rebekah goes. There’s the book, there are the words, there are pictures… and then there are the fascinating embellishments that Rebekah manages to work, seamlessly, into the narrative. And, like all children, he was riveted with interest until he slipped into the land of Nod, where Winken and Blinken were waiting for him too.
Good night, sweet boy, and rest well for the adventures of tomorrow – Grandaddy Derek

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