Before Brigit could reach the kitchen counter top she was finding anything available to make herself taller. She would climb on chairs and stools and boxes to reach the top. At the time her mere ability to reach something was the extent of her skill. After successfully reaching her goal, the prize would be either dropped on the ground or grabbed and manipulated in her hands. I found many bananas warped and bruised on the kitchen floor. Such a mysterious phenomenon may historically be blamed on the cats, for us humans would never suspect each other. Alas, it was Brigit. Such activity led us to create a snack basket for her – stuff she could get for herself without fear of excessive smooshing or choking. It worked well and she was so proud of herself. To this day we have a snack basket for her within reach, but the containers and preparation get continually more complicated to keep her challenged. Resealable bags instead of reach-in containers, fruit with a nearby knife instead of cheerios. Bananas are no longer smooshed, but eaten with peel removed and trashed. Apples are eaten to the core and other snacks are consumed with leftovers sealed up to keep them from getting ‘uncrispy’. Another area where we have encouraged her to be self-sufficient is with clothes. It took forever at first. Pants were the first success, wiggling the toes to encourage the legs to move towards the waist. Twenty solid minutes of serious concentration and encouragement. Biggest frustrations were shirts and socks. Fastest progression was with sundresses, even if the arm holes were missed. Now, if properly motivated, she moves like lightening to go from naked to fully clothed in two minutes. In Brigit fashion, drama is added in deciding what to wear, so the twenty minute saga is still typical. Is it a shorts and t-shirt kind of day, or a princess dress day, or printed-leggings-with-the-most-opposite-colored-top-imaginable day? Beyond clothing, the challenge for me is to recognize when she is ready for a new challenge. I try my best to say yes to her whenever she shows interest in something new, but there are still the opportunities to encourage her in areas she has not yet recognized. The most recent suggestion of mine was the shower. We currently have a small bathroom in a small temporary apartment that does not have a bathtub, only a shower. She has been through the process many a time – turn on water, adjust temperature, get wet, soap up, rinse, shampoo up, rinse, condition up, rinse, play. Is her dexterity sufficient to accomplish all the steps? Yes!!! It was like she was hoarding her shower skills until just the right moment. Now, instead of resisting shower time she can’t wait for it. Instead of me or David setting things up for her and helping with every step she does it all herself. The big difference is the order of things. Play first, clean after. She is so proud of herself, and so am I. I am looking forward to the next challenge – shoelaces!