Walk This Way

Every new parent waits with anticipation for their baby's first milestones.  The first time they smile, roll over, sit on their own, crawl and walk, are among the big ones.  If your baby seems to fall behind  other kids on one of these milestones, it can cause some slight panic.  The reality of the situation though, is they all do those things in their OWN time.  This is what my girls have taught me.  While they all advanced in their language skills before other kids their age, they fell FAR behind in the  "becoming mobile" category.  Even though Sonya was spouting Shakespeare at 20 months, she refused to walk until almost 18 moths.  Lana was a little sooner at 17 months.  Therefore, it should come as no surprise to anyone that Georgia, who just turned 15 months, has no interest in being upright to get around.  

I guess part of the reason why I'm writing about this is to let other parents know that those milestone charts should not be gospel.  They're a guideline and that's it.  So don't put to much stock into like I did.  This is also to let people know that no, Georgia is NOT walking yet, so stop asking me.  When I was at this stage with Sonya I was freaking out that she wasn't close to walking yet.  Now I know how this song and dance goes now, so I have no fears that G will do it when she chooses to.  Plus, as I now know, how soon they walk has absolutely NO bearing on when they will read or how smart they will be.  Let's keep in mind Sonya can spell "pumpkin" at FOUR YEARS OLD.

Georgia is  showing some interest in getting on her feet.  She can pull herself up and cruise around the coffee table.  She also likes to stand up and lean against the couch, which is the cutest thing to see.  She'll stand there barely touching the couch and then I think just MAYBE she'll take a step, but no, she drops down to her knees and starts crawling.  Don't even think you're going to trick her into walking by holding her hands and guiding her along like most other babies like to do.  Whenever I try to do this she screeches and puts her legs up in the air into a sitting position.  She'll have no peace until her butt is back on the ground.  Lately she's started using her walking toys more, and she's pushed the dining chair around the kitchen from time to time to practice, but still, no walking.  

I think my favorite thing she does right now doesn't even seem to have anything to do with walking, but I'm sure it's helping to strengthen her legs.  She'll crawl around the house and then all of a sudden for no reason, I find her in the yoga position of Downward Dog.  She'll stay like that for a good minute, head on the ground with her the palms of her hands on the ground beside her head, and her butt up in the air.  It's pretty damn cute to see a 15 month old doing yoga positions.  Still no actual walking.  I like to think she's doing this as a favor to me, because lets face it, once they start walking, no surface in your house is safe for your glass of wine.  

Yes, I do want her to walk eventually, but for now, I'm okay with her not.  Besides, she's my last one, so as excited as I was for each of Sonya's first milestones, I'm equally as sad for Georgia's.  I know it will be the last time I get to see the first steps of one of my own.  I don't mind if she takes her time.  It lets me keep my baby for that much longer.