My son is starting to get excited about things. He used to just be interested in what was right in front of his face: small objects, fingers, blanket corners. These small things helped him figure out the amazing things his hands could do. He controlled these amazing things floating in his visual field. He could turn them and twist them and move them up and move them down. He could animate other parts too but with less certainty. Soon enough he could use individual fingers to manipulate zippers or grab blankets or flip light switches. He could not only pick things up but do amazing things with both of his amazing hands in unison and clap! Even more astounding he could pick something up in one hand and transfer it to another. And if that wasn’t enough he could hold one object in each hand and bang them together for amazing sounds right in front of his eyes. That’s all old stuff now. He’s on to bigger and better things.
In his efforts to understand his environment he’s finally picked up crawling. What started out as sitting up, shimmying, and eventually something somewhat effective but snake-like, he has finally made the transition to full on crawling and exploring his world. There are dangers in this world, though. The very talents he’s mastered can now act against him in this new context. When crawling beyond his little space containing baby-sized toys is a larger world with larger “toys” and more serious consequences when failing.
His hands can help lift him up to a standing position. He can grab things off of shelves. Sometimes these things are light and fun like pieces of paper or highlighters. Sometimes they are heavy weights, big books, glassware, or something worse. Why, he must wonder, are my parents rushing towards me with that strange look on their faces when I’m only trying to see what’s on the other side of this stair? What’s the problem with chewing on this fun-looking electrical cord? Why can’t I touch the whimsical whistling teapot? Learning vs. Safety. It would all be so much easier if he could talk. Sign language only goes so far. (The only thing I think he’s got down for sure is “milk.”)