Playtime

Eddie has been having fun - mostly - playing with his cousins.  Sarah loves to give him hugs and kisses, and if Stephen is around and sees her doing it, he does, too.  Eddie is not so sure about all these hugs!  He usually makes his characteristic "get outta my face" gesture.  Early yesterday morning, Sarah was hugging him, and Eddie got both hands on her chest to push her away.  I said "Don't push, Eddie."  In case he wondered, I added "That's not nice."

A few hours later:
Sarah: "Eddie!"
(Sarah gives Eddie a hug.)
Sarah: "Don't push, Eddie." (pause)  "That's not nice."

Stephen is 4 months older than Eddie, and only a few months older than some of the babies that Eddie knows in Charlestown, but interacts with him much differently.  Stephen tries to toss a ball with Eddie, share toys with him (or take whatever Eddie has picked up), and show him how to do things.  The other babies Eddie knows seem to mostly crawl around ignoring one another, beyond occasional accidental or toy-related violence.

The cousins got a terrific circus tent for Christmas, about four feet tall and a great size for several kids.  Eddie likes to play peek-a-boo from inside.  At one point, all three kids were in there: we adults could just hear the rambunctious noise and see the tent swaying back and forth.  Then Eddie's face emerged from the flap as he started to crawl out; we heard Sarah say "Where are you going?"; then Eddie was inexorably dragged back into the big top.