How Baby

How we knew it was time to put a clock in Momo’s room, Exhibit A.

Momo naturally wakes up between 6:30 and 7, but for a little while there she was getting up earlier so she could watch television, so we had to make a rule about how she couldn’t watch television before 7AM. And it mostly worked, except she’s been playing it kind of fast and loose recently: playing in her room until then, bugging me every two minutes until I relent and let her turn it on early, and… this. I didn’t know to what extent she’s started gaming the system until I had to get up and get up moving earlier than usual, and I walked into the kitchen to find her staring at the oven clock.

So, Momo’s got a digital clock in her room now – the same one Kev used when he was little, actually, it’s still kicking around. She was very serious about wanting a clock when we asked her if she thought it would be helpful – it was very strange: her mature, earnest little face when we set it up, like she felt a gravity of the moment. I think she likes the feeling of control that knowing how to tell time can give her. That must be a trip – I don’t remember exactly when I became aware of the concept of time as a thing that could be measured and scheduled, but I do know that it happened around the same time that I started retaining more memories of my childhood. I think the structure of time helps provide some friction for memories to stick, I guess? An orderly filing system.

(Flash forward to the morning after, our bedroom, 7AM: “Mom! The clock worked!!” …so we’re still ironing out some kinks in the plan.)

Happy Hallowe’en, ’cause the next HB goes up after it! Stay warm and get that bread!! <3