A tale of two (amazing) children.I sneaked in a brief visit to the beloved Seattle Group this past weekend--arriving as May 31st rolled over into June 1st, most graciously retrieved from SeaTac by Ian, and then delivered back to catch the redeye Tuesday night, June 3rd. Not the most leisurely trip, but worthwhile in every way. As usual the 43rd Ave. South Collective warmly welcomed me, and included me in their lives with generosity and love.
Now--the children! Logan is in perpetual motion, the most curious child ever. He gets into anything that isn't nailed down, and a few things that are. The most fun is watching him figuring things out. You can almost see the wheels turning as his gaze flicks from one part of a process to another, and then: eureka! He turns to you with his crooked little grin and points, as if to say:"I got it!" Case in point--I was rooming in the back "nursery" and my suitcase was tucked in a corner. When it comes to zippers, buttons and straps, Logan is like a little Houdini; he just keeps at it till he solves the puzzle. So of course, he scampered right past two dozen books and fifty toys to get into my luggage and pull out the little Delta Airlines headphones I schlep around with me so I can plug into whatever passes for in-flight entertainment. He looked at them and immediately put them to his ears; but there was nothing to hear, of course. Marita, characteristically looking to reward his curiosity and tenacity, grabbed an Ipod and plugged the headphones into the set so that Logan would hear music. As soon as he heard the music he started trying to figure out how that all had happened. He took the Ipod, yanked out the plug that connected it to the headphones; looked up at us; then, in one smooth, completely confident motion, he inserted the plug back into the correct jack and grinned as the music started up again. Folks--this boy is just a little past one year. Let me say it now: we are going to hear from him in years to come, and it's going to be worth hearing!
And then there is Liliana. She has the sweetest face and the happiest personality. It is a joy to watch her attack the spoonfuls of carrots and bananas, splash in the bath, rock and roll in her saucer seat as she spins herself from one toy to the next. There was one priceless moment when Marita had her absolutely giggling, really belly-laughing--and then in a second the hilarity tipped right into a full-throttle wail, tears and all. But I have to say, what I love best is what I think of as "the Liliana scan." When you come into her line of sight she gazes deeply at every feature of your face, studying it; almost, it seems, searching for clues: Who are you? Do I know you? She holds this utterly serious, unwavering inspection for long enough to make you a little uncomfortable as you wonder what it is she sees there. And then--your reward. Her face lights up with a dazzling smile and she reaches out to grab your nose, or hair, or whatever is within range. She seems to forget--or ignore--the fact that she is only five months old. Whenever possible she pulls herself to a standing position. Her dexterity is incredible, and what was just recently random grabs at whatever came within grasping distance, is now determined, targeted reaching for the item she wants. I was amazed to watch, in the span of just a few days, as she transitioned from one developmental stage to the next. When I arrived, every time she was placed on her stomach she would sort of collapse, and snuffle her face into the carpet and cry with frustration. By the time I had to leave, when placed on her stomach she just hoisted herself up on her elbows and arms, looked around with a kind of "up periscope" motion and tried to pull herself toward the toys just beyond her reach.
Life is a miracle, to be sure; and in Logan's and Liliana's stubborn, insistent, headlong drive toward growing, you can watch it unfolding minute by minute. What a privilege it was to see.
Grandma Alice
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