Special Report – Gettin’ Ready to Walk

Still no crawling, although you can get about 10 feet from where you were in about 5 minutes between all the rolling and rotating and rolling and rotating. Your preferred position is still standing, and you’re getting very demanding about the amount of time we assist you in your quest to become upright and mobile. You’re going to be a true little biped in no time.

You will stand up against the ottoman for almost an hour without sitting down. I just keep putting new toys on the ottoman top for you to pick up and drop over the side or I hide on the opposite side as you and play peek-a-boo with you. As long as you have something to look at, you don’t get bored. You fall over every now and then, but it’s very infrequent. I usually have a pillow behind you just in case. Check out your adorable flower-bottom jeans. Girly flared jeans and hoody and pink Uggs. If you could get any cuter, I think it just happened.

If there aren’t any toys on the ottoman surface you just bang your hands on the surface and talk to yourself. I was going to say you haven’t quite mastered cruising around it yet. But as I’ve been sitting here typing, you are right next to me talkin’ away, batting on your ottoman, and you’ve managed to get 3 steps closer to me. So I guess today is the day you’re figuring it out! Yep, you’re little feet are moving up and down and, it’s not very efficient movement yet, but you are managing to advance sideways a little bit. Good job!

What you started doing 3 days ago is this…,

…letting go with one hand and asking me to come help you.

When I offer you my finger, you immediately latch on and let go of the ottoman with the other hand and walk toward me with a squeal and a gigantic grin. You are sooo proud of yourself. I don’t blame you. You’re pretty amazing.

As for assisted walking, you are growing leaps and bounds every day. You now hold on to my hands or fingers, rather than me holding onto your arms or your sides and propel yourself forward with reckless abandon. The difference, even in the last week, is dramatic. You will go around and around our downstairs – kitchen to dining room to living room to entry to kitchen to dining room to living room – round and round, as long as  you have a hold on my hands and you know that I’m behind you.

Given that your head is almost as long as your legs, what you’ve accomplished is a testament to your determination. You are one petite little girl, with a significant noggin. Next week, we’ll find out what percentiles (at 6 months your body was 20th and your head was 70th). But I can’t tell that every other 9 month old I run across looks like a brute compared to you. You’re a dainty little thing. Because you’re still a little top-heavy, I think it’ll be at least month or two before you have enough balance to walk on your own, but trust me – you are going to give it your best effort. Mentally, you’re there. Your body has to catch up a little.