Repeating actions: Pickles first intentional attention seeking.
“Ahhhhhhhh” I heard coming from under my feet. Looking down I noticed Pickles little leg had slid under the toy box. It wasn’t hurting but her little squeal was from feeling very unsure about having her leg stuck. ‘How do I get my leg out’ was the look in her big blue eyes peering up at me.
“Oh sweety are you OK” I started as I leant down to pull her leg out. She looked down at her leg as I slid it out from under the box and lifted her up for a consoling cuddle. She immediately pulled herself out of my grip. As much as I love cuddles all the time and probably give her way too many, Pickles is Miss Independent rolled with a bit of Miss Tough and Miss Adventurous, so they generally don’t last long or if at all when she has other things on her mind.
Pickles brushed her skirt down and then sat back down at her toy box. ‘Your OK’ I thought so I got back to typing my email at the breakfast bar.
This is what happened next…
“Ahhhhhh” I hear within 30 seconds of standing up. This time though, using my MTDS (Mummy Tonal Detection System) I detected a difference in her tone of voice. Looking down I just had to laugh. Below me was Pickles in the same place with the same leg in the same spot under the toy box.
“You faker” I laughed. “You did that on purpose to get my attention didn’t you”. I turned back to my PC and sneakily peered down at her. She very casually and without any concern turned and pulled her leg out from under the toy box. ‘Hmmm’ I thought.
Now just a little note here. I am a bit of a book worm and my favourite books since falling pregnant have been anything on child development. It is a fascinating subject and I can honestly say I have read some amazing facts about brain development at the tender age of 18 months but when you see it in real life it is purely extraordinary.
What amazed me the most was that this was the first time she realised that repeating actions can get repeated reactions. This was her first go at intentionally getting my attention. Incredibly, she learnt this in one repeated action.
For the rest of the day all I heard was “Ahhhhhh” here, “Ahhhhhh” there. She was happily experimenting with getting my attention and teaching herself what worked and what didn’t. Needless to say I had my work cut out for me using my MTDS to figure out which I should pay attention to and which I shouldn’t.
I just know my MTDS will get a run for its money over the next few days.
Jay-marie