Several months ago-I don’t remember exactly when-Simon began to play the baby game of drop the X off the high chair tray. All babies do it (I think), and it’s kind of funny to watch them figure out how gravity works and how to manipulate mom and dad all at one time.
The dropping game has lately evolved into a new form that Matt and I are finding harder to find charming. It’s called “do” (pronounced “doe”), as in “throw.” A week ago we weren’t entirely sure what “do” meant, but by now we have no question at all, because Simon says it loud and clear just before launching his cup, cracker, cheerio, spoon, pacifier, or what-have-you across the room. He’s pretty good at this “do” game, too, having mastered the overhand throw at a tender age, thereby giving him many months to perfect his aim and put a bit more muscle behind it.
Inevitably, the “do” game begins just as the adults sit down to eat. More times than not, as I am finishing a meal or we are waiting for a restaurant to deliver our food, Simon gets hungry and we get something out to “tide him over.” A fruit bar, crackers, and/or applesauce with milk later, Simon is then pretty full just in time to join the real dinner festivities. As he is no longer burdened with appetite, he is free to taste the adult offerings, play with them a bit, and then begin launching them wantonly.
In the past week, I have had to scoop up the detritus of nearly every meal we’ve had. I’ve bend over to get spoons until I thought my back would break, chased down sippy cups from across entire rooms, rescued pacifiers before the cats could get to them, and scraped up the remains of spinach, ravioli, pancakes, tempura, sushi, tortilla chips, black beans, toast, cheese, and even guacamole from floors. When eating out, I feel pretty bad about the mess left behind and so have adopted a friend’s strategy of going to places sufficiently cheap that I can afford to tip extravagantly. It’s safe to say I no longer consider a 25%-30% tip out of the question.
I’m hoping that Matt and I can beat Simon down by recognizing the “look of do” in his eye and taking away objects before they are launched. It’s a plan, anyway. But more realistically, I think I’m stuck with this until he moves on to his next game. I just hope the next game doesn’t make me long for the current one once it arrives.