Everyday Audrey and I have "Purposeful Playtime." I assume I didn't come up with this term myself. All that alliteration seems beyond my limited poetic abilities, and besides, I'd probably call it something much more literal like: "I'm So Exhausted After Working Out That I Will Just Lay On The Floor Next To My Baby And Play With Stuff." So I probably read the phrase while perusing baby websites during some ungodly hour feeding Audrey and it thereafter stuck into my consciousness.
Anyways, Purposeful Playtime consists of "playing," (my more intelligent readers can probably guess the rest) "with a purpose." I began this activity time because I worried (oh, how I worry!) that I was just playing with Audrey in an off-hand distracted manner, while my mind was on other things: Doritos, pedicures, sleep, etc. And thus, my mind wasn't really engaging her mind and she wouldn't never, not ever, get into Yale. So now we engage in all sorts of fun activities, usually right after I work out. (During my workout, she usually lays on the floor and watches in wonder as I fling my body all over the place and contort it into unnatural positions, activities she never sees me perform the rest of the day. We're more couch people.)
After working out, I collapse next to her and we play some of her favorite games:
1. Call and Response. I make some sort of goofy noise and she responds with her own take on the goofy. This activates both her hearing and speaking and helps her prepare for her future role as a revolutionary leader.
2. Beautiful Butterfly. This awesome toy makes a myriad of noises while its eyes turn a demonic red. This makes Audrey coo and giggle, which further develops her flirting skills. You can't become a world leader without a bit of charm.
3. Bicycle. After the Beautiful Butterfly starts to lose its luster, I bicycle her legs and we talk about the big day ahead and what big plans we have for the future, namely, when she'll be riding a real bike.
4. Reading. Initially, Audrey wasn't much of a reader. From her first days, as soon as her eyes would open, I'd shove a book under her gaze and read to her about the ramblings of some such animal or another. Until recently, she was totally disinterested. But of late, she has come round and we've been mutually enjoying the hijinks of Gossie the Gosling. You wouldn't believe what crazy antics that gosling is up to! Clearly, reading has all sorts of benefits. I like to use it to spread propaganda, but who knows in what subversive ways Audrey will utilize this awesome tool.
Finally, its all fun and games until Audrey gets the hiccups. This usually signals an over-stimulated baby and we end playtime with a trip to the changing table and if The Hunger isn't yet calling, we head to the showers.