Lone Ranger

When we are out and about and for the most part when we are in, but other people are around, Frazier is attached to me like an appendage...a sweet and adorable, but usually sticky and wiggly and very heavy appendage.

However, during the day when it is just the two of us and we are home, he is quite the independent little fellow. He is decidedly unhappy when I leave a room (to take something to the kitchen sink or the laundry room, for instance), but often he'll leave me behind in one room and go to another and I really think he'd just as soon I didn't follow him...so he could unplug things and chew on shoes. I'm a real obstacle to him when it comes to those "fun" things. ;) *He's only allowed to be in his room (and the hallway outside it which is blocked from the rest of the house by a baby gate) alone...and that's only when I go to the bathroom. Which, by the way, I realize I do a whole lot less than I used to. I guess Mommies are like camels...storing liquids out of necessity.

Anyway, I sometimes find myself just sitting and watching him, because it often seems that he'd prefer to be left alone. Of course, he wants me within view or at least within earshot, but he doesn't demand my constant attention. Unfortunately, it's still necessary because left to his own devices he gets into things he shouldn't. Nevertheless this self-entertainment besides being intriguing to me, has made for more productive days on my part. I get a bath everyday now while he plays happily in the pack and play. I can do laundry and check my email and I've even finished a couple of sewing projects and just this afternoon I made a craft project (more on that later). All the while he walks along the window sills talking to himself or taps his turkey baster on the ottoman and the shelves and the end tables or chases a ball.

*Here there should be a really cute 1 minute video of him chasing a red ball around the kitchen...but the stupid thing wouldn't upload...so imagine it. It was cute.

I love watching him being so busy in his own little world, though sometimes it makes me a little sad to see him being so busy doing things without me.

No doubt, one day he will once again require me to be a more constant active part in his play and then I suppose the pendulum will swing the other way again, but for now I am enjoying watching him learn to play on his own...and the freedom it affords me!