The Contingent Mobile

On Halloween, my friend Heidi gave me a book she had read during her daughters' toddling years called "Baby Minds". I haven't got through the whole book yet, but what I've read so far has been very interesting. One story was about how babies love to realize they have some control over their environment, and one way they suggest to help them is to set up a "contingent mobile". You know the little mobile over baby's crib that plays music and turns around? Well, they suggest that you attach that to baby's leg or arm with a soft ribbon and rather than use the crank to move the mobile, let the baby do it. The mobile's movement is contingent on the baby's action.

So I attach his leg to the mobile with my bathrobe belt. And sure enough, in no time he has figured out how to get the mobile to move. Seems like he's having fun, huh?


Speaking of Halloween, here is a picture of our little "sweet pea" with Daddy as pea farmer...














And here is a picture of the Etheridge cousins and Heidi's girls with Dominc at the Downtown HB Halloween Street Faire.


And another of Dominic's Gram & Granddaddy working the REMAX booth at the Faire. It's easy to see how Dominic turned out so cute with such cute grandparents! :-)