First, from smallest babyhood we were impressed with the coordination of his hands - he's quite meticulous with his fingers and very dextrous in accomplishing tiny tasks. We were so impressed with the fact that he developed the "pincer grasp" before he turned 5 months old, which means he could use his opposable thumb to do coordinated tasks, such as feeding himself small items like Cheerios. Many kids don't get that until nearly a year old.
Whether directly related to the advanced capacity of his hands or not, Tallis is also quite particular about sorting and placing things. We don't always see or understand his system, but he seems to know what it is! For instance, when he plays in rocks he has some system for which ones go in what pile. It's fascinating to watch him. Extra fun for him was an evening in the rocks in Faltz Landscaping's yard with a soda can - whether a rock was too big or just right to fit in the opening added an extra level of sorting to the game. Note that some rocks belong on the bench, some stay on the ground, and some go in the can. How he can tell which go where is beyond us....
He was a determined "helper" in my container garden early this summer, too, sorting potting soil with great zeal. (I finally just gave him a pot of his own because I was so tired of him digging up my baby plants, but then I had to resort to moving them all out of his reach entirely.)
This video Courtney took cracks me up!
He's also quite fastidious about his methods of removing and returning items. When he helps me "rearrange" the food cans in the lower cabinets of the kitchen, he likes to 1) open the cabinet, 2) remove one can, 3) close the cabinet, 4) place the can where he wants it, 5) repeat until bored. Then he will (though sometimes only under prompting) return the cans in the same fashion. Getting diapers and wipes from under the bathroom sink works the same way, always closing the door after each step. At his favorite person's house (Beth, that's you), he slides open the video cabinet, grabs a video, slides the door closed, places his video, repeats, and then returns them to their shelf, opening and closing the sliding door between each placement. He must get this from Courtney, because I am known to leave cabinet and closet doors wide open without a second thought, and I have to be reminded to put things back much more often than Tallis does! The following documents some solo play at the Altman's home some time this summer. He LOVES their ball bin. After he was all ready to go home Daddy kept talk-talk-talking and so he entertained himself while we waited for the conversation to wrap up. I'm glad he learned "in" at the same time he learned "out"! I love how he's as fascinated with putting things back as much as he is with taking them out.
So, are these Tallis characteristics or simply infant characteristics? Being first-time parents and relatively unexposed to kids, we don't REALLY know, but we think these things are distinctly pertinent to our little man!
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