His mobile

We have a classical music mobile over David's crib. As it goes around to the tinny strains of Mozart and Bach, garishly colored monkies dip close than veer away. He adores it. He can stare at it for two cycles, that's forty minutes. It gets him all going: his legs kick, his arms reach up, his head tries to turn circles to follow every move, his eyes follow every purple and green figure, and he flat out grins.

His stim gym

If you've been a parent in the last five years, you know what this thing is. It's the mat with the toys hanging over it. They're low enough that an enterprising baby can chew on the octopus' feet. He likes to stare up at the turtle's tummy, a mirror, and see that amazing baby. He likes to bat the bells; they ring! He likes to chew on any toy that gets lined up right. And he likes to just stare. Lots of grins here too.

His changing table

Have you noticed the fascinating roses on our wallpaper? David has. As soon as he hits the table, he turns his head to the wall, the better to admire them. It's pretty funny to watch the baby turn his head away from you to grin at the wall. He just likes to hang out on the changing table, preferably sans diaper, and take it all in. It probably doesn't hurt that John and I pause in diapering duties to tickle him under the chin, rub his tummy, and make funny faces.

His chair

Well, "like", might be too strong a term, but often David doesn't mind hanging out in his vibrating chair while we eat dinner. We coo at him or grin occasionally, but basically, we get to eat. It's amazing.

David is, in fact, so good at independent play that we have to be careful not to abuse it. I try to keep tuned in to when his squawks of interest turn to squawks of I'm bored. It's actually really obvious when he doesn't want to be put down—his face crumples, he starts squawking loudly, he kicks—so I figure if I'm not getting the big no, he doesn't mind.

He also doesn't mind sitting on my lap while I read to Rose, hanging out in the bjorn while I putter around the house or go for walks, being in the stroller, being in the car seat (well, some of the time), or being held by strangers. He's a very happy baby.