Monday January 31, 2005
Just The Claps

Ruby has learned to clap, and she is very excited! As Justin pointed out, she has every right to be enthusiastic about her new ability. Clapping is a wonderful skill. When she claps, we all run around the house applauding her reciprocally and yelling, “YAY RUBY!” It’s really fun to see her come to the realization that she is imitating something.

She points at everything, sometimes mouthing her versions of words for those things. She loves to point at the dogs before they start licking her. Every night after her bath, she points at Ani’s rubber duck collection and smiles in awe and joy.

Actually, Ruby has taken over the pointing duties of our English Pointer, who during the winter spends more time on the couch or on Ani's lap than outside pointing at birds and fences.

Ruby is beginning to understand that waving is a good thing too. When she waves, everyone in the house waves back and yells, “HI RUBY!” This incites giggles and expresions of wonder from all involved. I may be projecting, but I can almost see the process of her coming to understand that a wave is communicating something as she looks from her jiggling hand to mine. She gets excited and mimics the “HI” vocalization. For her, it is more like “HAAAAAARGHHH”, perhaps followed by “Dadadadadadada.” I assure you that this translates to, “Hello father dear, it is invigorating to see you and to communicate the fact that I see you with this whimsical hand gesture.”

Ani and I are usually quiet and mild mannered people, but whenever Ruby does something that that we think is fun, we get really excited and YELL things like, “YAY RUBY.” Then, when we are walking around in the store, and Ruby starts talking in a voice that is not calm and soft, we wonder where she learned to be so boisterous and crass.

It’s ok Ruby, you can use your outside voice if you want to. We’ll work out the details later. For now, “HAAAAAARGH!” Restaurant patrons and shoppers beware.