Friday, July 16, 2010

A Little Independence Goes a Long Way

Oliver's been growing a little bit in his independence. He is usually OK for me to leave him in his baby-proofed nursery so I can go downstairs and grab the laundry. If I'm gone for more than about 2 minutes, he gets mad. Still, there's no reason for me to be gone longer than that. He's also OK with me taking a shower. We're re-caulking our shower, so we've been using the one in Oliver's room. I set him on the floor with his toys, and then I can grab a quick shower before he gets upset. Awesome!

Oliver loves interacting with Andrew and me. He's OK with not being held all the time now, but he'd prefer it if we sat on the floor and watched him play with his toys. Better yet, he'd like for us to shake his rattles and spin his electronic toys. Whatever we have (say, a book or a remote), he wants!

With more frequency, he's happy to play on his own while I do chores. I can unload and load the dishwasher as he looks on, for example. Sometimes, I can even get dinner on the table before Andrew gets home.

Yesterday, for the first time, he played completely on his own while Andrew and I talked. Oliver sat on the floor, banging his shovel and dragging his spoon on the ground like a paint brush. Andrew and I would glance at him to make sure he was OK, but that was the extent of our direct interaction with him. Oliver didn't even whine or complain! He just played. It was amazing.

Obviously, I don't intend for Oliver to play on his own a lot. I enjoy playing with him. However, having a little independence is good for him, and it helps with my sanity. Plus, it helps us to enjoy a different kind of family time. Nice!

Further, I wrote this whole post in one sitting with Oliver awake! Usually, I write while he's napping or nursing. Right now, he's playing with his booster seat and the buckles on it. Good times!

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