Lessons from playtime
We’ve been doing this for the nth time.
I let Jamaine sit on the rubber puzzle mat on the floor. She pulls out Mr. Froggy from his slot and starts to munch on his blue head.
I pull poor rubber froggy away from her mouth, “This is just for playing, not for eating.”
She looks at me then diverts her eyes to the electric socket on the wall.
She makes a dash for the socket on all fours but I carry her back to the mat before she even gets there.
I give her a plastic bottle to roll on the floor and she’s entertained for a few seconds. She must be thinking, “So what do I do with this?”
Less than half a minute later, she scrambles to the edge of the bed and triumphantly pulls herself up from the mat.
She flashes her four-toothed smile and I cheer her on.
She continues to hold on to the edge of the bed, slowly walks around it and suddenly catches sight of the DVD rack. She carefully sits down, crawls to the rack and pulls out everything in it.
I put back in everything she scatters on the floor.
Pull out. Put back in. Pull out. Put back in. Pull out. Put back in.
We go on like this, until she gets tired and discovers the TV screen. She puts her face up close as if she wants to see every single pixel.
I pull her away, “We want to have good vision, baby.”
As if on cue, her favorite commercial flashes on the screen.
“Maglaro tayo…. ng ha-ha-ha…ha-ha-ha…”
She smiles and tries to dance just like the kids who love instant noodles.
As soon as the commercial is over, she crawls back to me wanting to be carried.
I carry her back to the rubber puzzle mat, signaling the start of the same play routine.
I look at the clock. It’s 8:30 pm.
She usually sleeps at 10:30. Sometimes she sleeps at 11. But during really active days, she can last until 1 am.
I look at here and there’s no trace of sleepiness in her eyes. Can I last for two more hours?
Another favorite commercial flashes on the TV and she squeals in delight.
This looks like it’s gonna be a long night.
Then I thought of one technique: I prop some pillows on the mat and pretend to sleep. This usually works for her. When she sees mommy sleeping, she stops playing, lies her head on my stomach and falls asleep on her own.
For a moment, I could sense that she has stopped playing. It works!
I peek through half-closed lids and see her smiling. She breaks into laughter as I open my eyes completely.
She thought I was playing peek-a-boo!
She comes even closer to me with an expectant smile, waiting for me to do it again.
I realize then that it is all an adventure for her.
Simple moments are exciting for her.
She is enjoying this experience with me.
How could I wish for the hours to pass so quickly when in a few years time, she’ll probably want to spend less of it with me?
She’ll want to hang out with her own friends, do her own thing and be just by herself. I’ll probably be the one wishing that we spend more time together.
Moments like these are fleeting and priceless and they have to be enjoyed to the fullest.
Jamaine tugs at my shirt wanting to be carried. I hold her close and feel the love in her embrace.
A few minutes later, I sit her down on the rubber puzzle mat. Mr. Froggy gets a good chewing again signaling the beginning of the same play routine.
We’ve been doing this for the nth time. And I’m enjoying every second of it.
iris (12 comments.) responds:
Posted: February 11th, 2008 at 9:29 am →
awww. we’re really rocking the same boat. hehe. as you told me earlier, you really should enjoy these moments
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Jayme responds:
Posted: February 11th, 2008 at 3:44 pm →
Sometimes it gets so challenging talaga when I’m tired from work but I always remind myself to focus on my baby and less on myself.
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MarysMom (2 comments.) responds:
Posted: February 16th, 2008 at 4:54 am →
[quote comment=""]Sometimes it gets so challenging talaga when I’m tired from work but I always remind myself to focus on my baby and less on myself. :)[/quote]
You’re right about these moments being fleeting and priceless… My duaghter is now 5 1/2 and I just wonder at how QUICKLY these 5 1/2 years went. I think back to my single days in New York and 5 years did not go back this fast.
Enjoy your daughter, she’s a cutie!
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Jayme responds:
Posted: February 16th, 2008 at 4:42 pm →
Thanks Mary’s Mom!
Sometimes nga I wish she could speak already so we could communicate a little better. Sometimes it frustrates me when I can’t seem to understand what she wants. But it’s always a learning process and I’m taking it one day at a time.
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