As the baby gets older, computer time grows harder. She sleeps less, so she sees me interacting with screens more, which is not behavior I want her to emulate. And these days, she has finite patience for me doing anything that does not involve either feeding her or helping her stand.
This girl is a standing fiend.
And what’s awesome for this writer-mom to see? The baby Loves text. She reaches for the manuscript I’m revising and grabs at her dad’s theatre show shirts. She stares in fascination at the many spines on our bookshelves.
So she’s a words baby.
And she endlessly stares at the bright rainbow bargello lap quilt her great-grandmother made. She scratches at the black/red/gold wall hanging of cats and reaches for the pillow cases in winter penguins, lime green and red-orange foxes, and cats in turquoise trees. Her great-grandmother made them all. The baby’s face when we walk into Gram’s sewing room? Priceless.
So she’s a fabrics baby.
And last weekend? She let me audition for Macbeth. In her five and a half months, I have taken her to see productions of Into the Woods and A Lion in Winter (where she was equally fascinated withe the stage lights and the acting), a staged reading I participated in, and two multi-hour theatre troupe meetings. All of which she suffered without meltdown. All with some glorious smiles.
So she’s a theatre baby.
And she sings! At only a few weeks old, she held a sustained, pitch-perfect note in her sleep. These days, she tries to sing along with me (less pitch-perfect, which is no less adorable). Her dad’s synth music programs can keep her entertained for hours.
So she’s a music baby.
I can’t wait to see what she makes when she starts creating for herself. But right now? It’s all distraction until the next meal or the next opportunity to stand.
Melissa Burkart 