Backwards Facing Navigational System

This is a compilation of a few things I have been noticing recently that I haven't had a chance to write down yet.  Better late than never, right?


1.  Background: This was in January.  On Fridays, Amelia attends a Spanish class at her preschool for an hour.  We drop her off and then pick her up just a short while later.  Usually I drop Amelia at preschool on a Tues/Thursday and then bring Gemma to our sitter's house.


Gemma and I walked out of the preschool and I juggle her around in my arms to unlock the car.

Gemma: Baby?
Mama: Baby? (I look and do not see any babies around.  The door is open and I start buckling Gemma in her carseat).
Gemma: Go! Go! Baby! (Points out the window).

Suddenly, I realize Gemma is referencing our sitter's granddaughter, whom Gemma refers to as "baby".   Unfortunately, we don't have plans to see them today and Gemma is now quivering with excitement about seeing her baby friend.  I try to explain to her we aren't going there, but it isn't sinking in.

It doesn't sink in until we leave the preschool and turn right instead of left.  The instant we turn right (to go home) instead of left (to go to the sitters house), she is screaming and crying : "NO!  NO!"  "NO!  GO BABY! NO!"

This is crazy to me that at 19 months while sitting in a carseat facing the rear of a vehicle, Gemma can determine the direction we are driving.  Absolutely crazy.



2.  We go to the library a lot.  Once a month the local library has a baby story time in which one of our favorite librarians reads books, leads some rhymes, and sings a few songs.   One of the songs we do every single time is called "Shake and Stop".  The whole group of kiddos are given little tiny maracas.  The song starts and tells the kids to shake their instruments in different ways.  Then it tells them to stop.  Which is totally hilarious to observe.  The parents are trying to stop the noisy shakers and the kids just want to keep on making noise.  The silence only lasts for a few beats and then the shaking starts up again, a pattern which is repeated several times before the song is over.

When we went to story time in January, I noticed that Gemma was able to stop shaking on her own.  I figured it out by accident as I had Amelia and William with me.  I was distracted by something and couldn't get to Gemma in time to quiet her shakers.  But, she did it on her own.

This might not sound like a big deal, but this is HUGE.  This is massively huge because this is the first sign that Gemma is starting to exhibit self control and regulation.  A whole lotta exciting child development has to happen before self regulation occurs.  And it IS exciting.  This child will someday be able to control her impulse to climb the refrigerator and resist eating toothpaste.  It won't be today or even this month (year?), but it is coming.

As the second pause in the song approached, I held my breath to see what would happen.  I was surprised and proud : Gemma held her shakers close to her chest to quiet them.