Warm and Gooey

The other day, I left some fresh brownies in a tupperware at the back door, ready to take with us when we left. Then I gathered a few more things in the kitchen, filled up Noah's sippy cup, glanced at email, talked to Josh, and rounded the corner to pick up Noah and go out the back door.

That's when I discovered that Noah had found a delightful new toy on the floor. Warm and dark, the perfect balance of goo and crumbs. And it was sitting in one of the dishes I'd let him play with (when it was empty).

Thankfully, Daddy nabbed the culprit while I took a picture of the act (left) and the evidence (right).

Looking back, I'm a little surprised by my own reaction. I was pleasantly surprised and amused. I would have expected to be upset. A perfectly good box of brownies. A perfectly good outfit. A perfectly good half hour. All gone. But I really didn't mind. Instead, I was impressed that Noah found them, got the lid off, and was willing to stick his fingers in to feel the texture. Like the kleenex last week, I hadn't taught him otherwise, and it was just fun to see him exploring. (My reaction must not be too crazy, as Josh's was the same.)

Come to think of it, I remember one day in early August that he tried multiple times to open a kitchen cabinet door, only for me to say "No," close it, and redirect him. He hasn't tried again since. Even now, we haven't childproofed our kitchen cabinets, because we haven't had to (and there's nothing dangerous in them).

It's truly fascinating to see his little personality emerging. Extroverted. Happy. Focused. Content. Problem-solving. And now standing, cruising, climbing, and brownie-stabbing with interest but not abandon.