Grapes Were Involved In Problem Solving

Grapes were involved when I first noticed the great way toddlers solve problems.

Their ingenuity shows their personality, right?

Looking at the left photo of Alayna stepping on a footstool to reach the faucet, was it for cleansing?  for sipping?  for play?  

Don't know.  But little sister Noelle is there to assist, "I help."

You might be too young, or you might be my age, to remember that little girl's voice in the Shake 'n Bake commercial.  With a southern twang it rings in your ears, "And I helped." 

When Ian, our youngest, was a little thing, he'd barely learned to walk, watched a ball roll under a child's chair, he didn't lay on the floor to reach under to get the ball, nope.  He picked up the chair then reached down to get the ball!  Problem solved.  His way.

Back to the grapes.  When Calvin, our third born, was a little thing, he'd barely learned to walk, he wanted some grapes.  He must've opened the refrigerator door by himself because he was in the kitchen all alone, and he was standing IN the refrigerator -- eating grapes.  He wasn't plucking like people usually do, he was sucking each one off the vine!

Now, our grandson Jacob is a little thing, barely learned to climb.  He pushed a chair up to the cabinet top, climbed up, and got the grapes.  So? you wonder.  He didn't pluck them off, he didn't suck them off, he shook them off.  He fisted the whole cluster and sh-shhook!

    

Believe it or not, it works.  Admittedly, they go everywhere.  They roll to the backboard, they roll to the fruit bowl, they spill to the chair and onto the floor, but by golly, he retrieves them and eats them!  It works.

I'm watching.  There's more to come.  Ainsley, the baby, is still crying for mama.  But one day soon, she'll want some grapes.  Maybe she'll be the princess, just point, and one of us will jump.

Problem solved.

Her way.

Shake 'n Bake commercial:   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB7j3sUWohE