Active Parenting

Her hands are over her head making opening and closing pincher grasps as the song is sung...

"twinkly twinkle little star"

Her feet are stomping as the music plays and the Coo Coo bird hops on the tv...

"coo coo cah choo"

Her hands are clapping and her head is turning side to side as we celebrate....

"yay for Layla"

Her head is shaking and her face is bitter...

"oh no no big troubles"

Her lips are smacking and her eyes are wide...

"num num morah"

Her tongue is out and her fist is raised...

"rock star"

Her butt is shaking and her booty bumping as the music pumps from the stereo...

"dancing queen"

Her hands are waving side to side and her beads are swinging...

"round and round and round it goes"

Her mouth is open and her hand is making her sound like an indian at a bon fire...

"wha wha wha"

Her finger is straight because music time is over...

"shhh"

She runs past me and quickly up the stairs...

"upity up it"

She reaches high for my arms to swoop her out of bed...

"get it up"

She toddles away her hands waving bye bye...

"a bye bye i go"

This is what attachment parenting, cohabitational sleeping and interactive play with music has given me. This is what turning off the tv, working with words early and using hand signs has brought up in this little girl. She is a constant stir of active emotion, she is a brilliant flash of sparkly love, she boils over, she bubbles up and she is confident that she can do it... and she's not afraid to tell you that if you forget.

"stop it"
"i dude it"

She takes the toy from my hand and marches off to figure out how it works. My one time demo over and her curiosity abounding. She will figure it out, probably when I'm not looking. But I'll notice, because she is strikingly beautiful in her independence.