June 7, 2000 - Wednesday
Harry recognizes his dad on the phone. At least, we think he does. When I called home this afternoon to ask his mother a question, Harry was acting a bit self-interested and, with that, feeling somewhat ignored while she was talking on the phone and not playing with him. On a whim she said I'd better have a word with him and held the phone to his ear. I didn't say more than a few familiar phrases, but, remarkably to me, he stopped his squawking. He started it again when his mother got back on the phone, but then stopped again when she put the phone back to his ear and I spoke.

Now, I try not to attach too much significance to any of these type of events. I don't claim any hope that he missed me so much as to delight in the sound of my voice, nor do I boast such a commanding presence that he minded his manners at the hint that I was about. Moreover, I continue to believe that distraction is the key to occupying a young mind and my voice coming from an inanimate object was enough to snap a nerve in his head and touch his curiosity. However, his mother and I tried this same thing with the phone back in April when I was on a business trip and got no reaction from him. Today he is a different boy than he was in April. He's grasped a new piece of the puzzle that is the world around him, or at least understands that there are puzzles that pique his interest. And, that is significance enough for me. Harry recognizes his dad on the phone.


Comments, opinions?