When picking up a book how do you grab it? Thumb on the front cover and fingers rapping around the edge. Squeezing together your thumb to fingers you latch on and lift. Easy. So easy that I have never really thought about it.
Yesterday morning, Eli and I are lying on the living room floor and this is what I observed...
When Eli tries to grab his book that is lying on the floor beside him he first uses his mouth. Sitting on his bum and bent over at the waste a string of drool hits the book cover first. Then he tries to gum it, right in the middle of the cover. Finally he reaches for it with his little fingers and again he tries to pick it up right in the center of the cover. He is opening and closing his hands like one of those 3 fingered junk yard cranes, yet he is unable to get any purchase. With wonderfully concentrated and determined furrowed eyebrows, Eli's "pick up the book" game continues for over a minute. Never appearing frustrated, he is focused. Then finally, success! His hand accidentally slides over to the edge, he grasps, squeezes, and then swings the book around in victory.
Grabbing an edge. What a concept.