Dear Vivian {Month 13}

Happy 13 months, Sweet Vivian! (I'm not quite ready to let go of the brown [formula stained] chair photo each month on the 9th.)

I love the way you point. Ummm, excuse me!

9 Minutes* {September 9, 2008 2:15 PM}

You are lying on your back and you've lifted your step stool onto your chest.

You vocalize uh, uh, uh and then you put your stool over your face. You grunt and it echoes. You tap your left hand contentedly on the side of the stool. You wiggle - I'm thinking you must be smiling under there, but I can't see your face. You snort and it echoes again.

You take the stool off your face and smile at me. Peekaboo! I say. You play on your side for a moment before lifting the stool and going under it again. You take the stool off your face and you tap, tap, tap the top of the stool and let it fall to the side. You play with your hands uh, uh, uh. You point. You blow a little raspberry and say mmm, mm, mmm. More hand play. You fuss a little. Would you like to sit up?

I help you sit up and place the empty tissue box that has six blocks in it - one for each letter of your name. You reach in and pull out the green V.

You chew on it, look at it, turn it, drop it on the carpet in front of you, and reach for it.

Then you put it back in the box, turn the box upside down (more blocks fall into your lap) and play it like a drum. 9 minutes are up.

*A family friend was telling me about the nursery program she sent her kids to over 20 years ago. It sounds magical: for half the year the program is out in the woods; the other half of the year is spent in an old one room schoolhouse. I did more research, and part of the program involves the parent writing in-class observations of his/her child - 20 a year - in which mom or dad sits back and just watches, recording what his/her child does. These observations become a precious keepsake, capturing moments and development. I was inspired to do the same - to participate minimally and just watch as Vivian explores her environment, recording what she does on paper and with a few photos. It's a really interesting process - I'm so used to talking to her all the time or contorting her into some kind of PT move or checking email or doing some household chore while talking and playing- that I rarely just sit and watch. I highly recommend it, even if only for 9 minutes. It was my favorite 9 minutes of today.