I was just watching Piper play by herself right now. Watching her literally made me put my hand to my heart because this child is a dear. Really. She dug my headphones out of my diaper bag where they fell with “Goodnight Moon” atop them. She went to pick up the headphones by their cord and noticed “Goodnight Moon” was flipping and flopping along with the movement. So, thinking that was cool, she did it again.

I put a platter of snacks down for her: fresh peas, cherry puffs, and cheerios. I wanted to see which she’d choose. Piper went straight for the peas, then the cheerios, and left the puffs alone. Then Piper decided to place a puff on the floor, and tried to eat it without hands.

When she has a book, she holds it in both hands and mutters to herself as she turns the pages. When we were in San Diego, I had her in the Bjorn and let her “hold” the zoo map. It was comical, really. A little girl with her parents commented, “Look! That baby is reading the map!” Her mother replied, “Yep, it looks like she’s trying to decide where they should go next!” She did decide where to go- “Fussytown”. Have you heard of it? It’s on the corner of “Napville” and “Nurse City”.

At work, on her good days (which outnumber the bad), she’s a joy. She shrieks with glee when she’s cruising into a coworker’s office. When she sees my boss, that gleeful exclamation of  “BEAAAA!” comes barreling out and I could die. I then stop questioning bringing her in here. If I was a SAHM she wouldn’t have these people she sees every day who love her and teach her things. She wouldn’t go to the bank with them, get nuzzled by them, and put her trust into them.

Piper wouldn’t be Piper without work. And honestly? Work wouldn’t be work without Piper. I just need to remind myself of that more often. At least, until she learns to walk, then she’ll be in a cage. :)