Touchy Feely

I've put mittens on you as of late Cesar. Not always, just mainly when I can't constantly pull your hands out of your mouth. You absolutely hate them, and I expect I know why. Originally we suspected you might be teething, but now I'm not so sure. I think you are beginning to explore your world, and you find your hands amazing.

Last night, (or very early this morning, since we stay up late due to Vincent's job), I was sitting on the loveseat with you. I had you propped up on my knees, as I was using the whole loveseat as a grand chair to spread myself out on. This meant that to your right was the rest of the living room, and to your left were cushions. I was relaxing, playing with you facing me. This way I could also watch TV with Vincent, who sat on the couch. I took off your mittens, so we could play. That's when you decided, to my surprise, to reach out and feel the cushions. It wasn't one of those fluke motions either. Typically your hands have just kind of flailed around, and if they just so happen to come in contact with something, you grab it. This was more than that. You looked closely at the burnt orange and dark blue pattern. You'd lift your hand an inch or so and put it back in a rigid motion, and try to grab the the square blue patch of material. I told Vincent, and we both watched in awe. Cesar, you're finally realizing that you can affect the world around you with your hands!

I grabbed your rabbit. It's an orange rabbit made by Infantino passed to us by my brother (who I might add got it at a garage sale). It's just the coolest rabbit, orange with all sorts of different textured materials on each long ear, and rattles in the feet, belly, and the butterfly it holds in its paw. You love your Infantino Rabbit, but yesterday you actually began to reach out and feel it with your hands like it was a study. I'm so pleased that you've taken such an interest in the world around you. Even this morning when I gave you your rabbit you began to feel him again with those jagged movements. Rocky as they may be, it's wonderful to watch. Soon you'll be playing with all sorts of toys, and probably sticking them in your mouth too.

Above: During "naked time" you are amongst lots of toys. Your Infantino Rabbit is to the right, but you can hardly see him in this photo. To the left is your monkey, George, another favorite. You started to reach your hands out during playtime earlier this month, as in this picture, but you weren't really coordinated to understand that grabbing for a toy was a completable task. (August 2011)