dynamic elf

Natalie's always been a shockingly physical kid. As a baby, she wanted to be swaddled to sleep much longer than the other kids. She loves snuggles, and still would sleep on top of me like a mattress if I let her. She points and gestures, and tells stories with her body in a way I don't often see. She loves running and climbing and biking and swimming and picking up heavy things. She loves hitting the punching bag and jumping on the trampoline and being hugged so hard it hurts.

A few years ago-probably embarrassing early- I bought her some fraction blocks. You know, the kind with one block that says "1", one in two halves that says "1/2", and so on. I showed them to her, but it never took. In fact, I thought she didn't know where the blocks were anymore. But tonight, at dinner, but she wanted to make a point about math, she ran to the sewing closet, got out the fraction blocks, came back to the table, and made her point. With objects.

(I didn't know they were still in the house. She knew right where they were.)

She loves to diagram things. She loves to make mockups. She loves to build crazy shit out of the recycling.

I don't have a grand point here. I'm sure that I don't quite know how to engage with this style of learning in a perfect way, but it's pretty fun to try sometimes. Also frustrating sometimes, too- like when I want to scream AAAAGH PLEASE JUST USE SOME WORDS FOR PETE'S SAKE. But I am curious: was this you? Is it your kids? It wasn't me. I'm all words and numbers, and grew up a brain in a jar.

[edited to add: out of curiosity, I lay face down next to her at bedtime tonight, very still, and she half crawled on top of me, used my head as a pillow, and almost instantly started snoring.]