1 Mother 2 Another

About a week ago, Cora started covering
her face with her arms and lovey blanket. She’d cloak her
face, then peep down, over and over. My mom was the first to figure
it out, and the next time Cora draped herself, Mom sang out,
“Where’s Cora?”


Down came the silky, with Cora’s face wreathed in a huge
smile. “There she is!” my mom crowed.

Yes, Cora’s learned to play
peek-a-boo, and she’s relishing her ability to actively
interact with us now. Up until this point Cora’s been
interested and responsive, but more on the receiving end of
anything than the initiating. She’ll watch you play
peek-a-boo or hide n’ seek and giggle when you return;
she’ll stare intently at the pages as you read a book; but
she’s never been able to initiate an interaction.


Now that we’ve figured out what she’s trying to do, we
see her starting her game up dozens of times a day. Any time she
wants attention, is bored, or is looking for a smile, the arms are
thrown over the eyes, only to be flung down to reveal a wide,
toothless, anticipatory grin. Now Cora will stay with her eyes
covered until she hears “Where’s Cora?”, and even
varies how long she’ll wait to respond: sometimes
she’ll open up immediately, while other times she’ll
string us along and make us wait, and those reveals are all the
more triumphant for her ability to toy with us.


Whoever is in the room at the time will drop whatever they’re
doing when Cora starts her game, which has the result of
encouraging Cora to reach out to us even more. A few nights ago she
was sitting on the living room floor babbling while my mother sat
at the dining room table a few feet away, in eyeshot but out of the
“conversation”. “GA!” Cora said
preemptively, pointing imperiously at my mom. When Mom’s
attention was suitably riveted on Li’l Bit, she continued her
monologue.


I love seeing her delight in being “one of the family”,
in being able to communicate and interact with us. I’m
astonished it’s happening so quickly; either Maddie started
this sort of thing later or time is really flying with this little
baby. Whatever the case may be, I’m enjoying watching her
little personality emerge as she works herself into our family
dynamic.


Where’s Cora? Why, there she is now!