germs & parents

2005-09-15

We did story time at the library yesterday.

I had been wondering for some time now if Owen had figured out object permanency. I had been playing around with a toy to get his attention, and then I�d cover it with a blanket. He�d respond by picking up a corner of the blanket and chewing on it (why did that never happen to Piaget?). Well, at story time I finally got my answer. The story time is held in the �space station� within the library (it�s really something to see). There are lights on the floor, and Owen became obsessed with the one nearest him. I held him over it for a while, but my arms got tired so I sat him back down. He still wanted to play with it (its recessed into the floor, so its not like there was much he could do except look at it). Since he can�t crawl, the only position he could get into himself was to lie face down on top of it. And, since I don�t usually put my kid face down on the floor (esp. the floor of a public building!) I covered the light up with my sling, thinking that would make him forget all about it. Um, no. Not even. So I guess he�s figured out object permanency.

After story time, there was a free-for-all playtime. The librarian put out several bins of toys, and the 40 or so tots that were there all went nuts. For this age, �playing� basically involves putting objects in their mouths. I nearly had a panic attack when I realized that I was supposed to go along with all that. I mean, the germs! It was almost like a Lysol commercial, I could actually see the fuzzy worm-like germs covering every surface. And then, in slow motion, I could see each one of the kids sticking the toys in their mouths. I was horrified. But I also didn�t want to be a story time prude. So I carefully chose a single toy and let Owen roll it around with his feet, all the time making sure it never went near his mouth. And I didn�t even Purell him afterwards (but he did get a bath upon his return home).

We met a one-year-old girl who has been doing sign language for some time. It was neat to see. We�ve been signing to Owen for a while now, but he probably won�t sign back (or even realize what we�re doing) for another couple of months.


My mother is always complaining that she never gets to baby-sit Owen. So I ask her to watch him a full two months in advance of an event. She agreed. The yesterday we had lunch and she told me she�d have to cancel as she was going to fulfill her �life long dream� of tutoring Hopi Indian children that weekend. OK�

And, just in case you think my mom is the only eccentric, my dad recently recommended a hotel for us to use when we visit him in December. He said �it�s a nice new hotel� they have an elevator�. Swell.

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