Lick and Chewing - mine

I've been thinking about Cici's fascination with the pedestal. Its a puzzle she just wants to solve. And I wonder at the difference in her attitude. She is more engaged. More there. Dare I say more present at the pedestal?

I am trying to tease the pieces out of this puzzle for myself (forgive the mixed metaphor). When we usually try something new she goes RBI. Ah a RBI learner. She gets hesitant, her nostrils crunch up, she moves slowly. She thinks so hard her head hurts.

At the pedestal she is definitely LB. The pedestal is like a door opening. for her? to her? She WANTS to go to it. She WANTS to explore it. With her nose, her lips, her teeth and even her feet.

She is carrying this exploration over to other objects. She bites the ground poles. She paws the mounting block when I play touch it. She noses, lips, teeth and feets the cones.

Am I right in making the leap to she is exploring her environment. That she is moving slowly to confidence toward exuberance?