Sorting shapes

Munchkin just gets smarter and smarter every day. I know that all moms say that, but it's true. Last night she and I played with a shape sorter that was mine as a child. Tupperware still sells them. I love the thing and remember playing with it a lot. Up to last night, munchkin mostly used it as a rattle. But last night we started pulling the shapes out and putting them in the right holes.

She was so impatient. It was almost more than she could handle to wait for me to turn the toy so that she had access to the hole matching the shape she had in her hand. And forget trying to get her to put the shape in the right way. She was so impatient that she often literally tried to push a square peg through a round hole. (Or an oval peg through a star-shaped hole.)

Tonight we tried again. She was more than willing to pick up a shape, show it to me, let me turn the toy so the matching hole was on the top, and then she would work to put the shape in on her own. If it was a simple shape without too many corners, she would often get it in unassisted. Shapes like the star and the cross were more difficult, but she accepted my help. She's even figuring out how to get the shapes out once she's gotten them in.

One day! I can't believe the change in one day. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised. Perhaps this is typical behavior for 18-month-olds. I just know that I am so impressed and proud of her.