Moonwalking, Jumping, Somersaults and Climbing, Oh My!

Today, Sam started "moonwalking" by walking backwards. He thinks it is the most fun thing ever... until he runs into a wall. This means I spent a lot of today telling him to watch out, or grabbing him to avoid a catastrophe!

This week Anna also learned how to jump. As in both feet off the ground at the same time, powered by her own force jumping. She's been interested in jumping for awhile and really trying hard to do it, so she was extremely pleased when she was successful for the first time. Although I do have to say it has been adorable watching her unsuccessfully attempt to do it.

Also, we learned that we can use our toys as platforms to climb up over the arms of the couch from the floor. Then we like to flip head over heels upside down onto the cushion. Sam can climb into his own high chair and he's getting close to climbing into his car seat. The only thing holding him back is that the sides are pretty tall and he can't quite conquer that aspect.

Now, just today Anna did her first ever somersault on the floor. My little girl is a gymnast in training.

Such a fun age!

Two Walkers!

Well, I definitely think what I've heard is true about babies that are a little slower development-wise in one area; that chances are they are focusing their energy in another area of development.  While Sam and Anna were later walkers, they continue to amaze me with their communication and fine motor skills every day.  Today I've finally agreed that Anna is a walker.  At 16 months old, Anna is not just taking steps anymore, she is walking!

She's taken steps for a while now, but mostly initiated by me or my husband.  Sometimes (more often at night) she'd spontaneously walk up to 14 steps, but more for the fun of walking and probably the cheers and attention we gave here.   We thought she did better when she was holding something at the same time like a toy, probably because it kept her focus off of the potential to fall.  Anna would also give in easily- never allowing herself to really truly fall.  When she starts to feel like she's losing her balance, she immediately either drops to her knees or sits down on on her bottom, or grabs onto the safety object she has nearby (the wall, the couch, a chair, a taller toy, etc.) . I think she was capable of many more steps in a row than she was doing but just not allowing herself to get outside of her narrow comfort zone. 

However, within the last week or so, Anna's been spontaneously walking throughout the day more and more and crawling less and less.  She's walking to get from one place to another.  She walked from the living room to our bathroom for a bath tonight.  I've lost count how many maximum steps she's made in a row now.  Her main reason for the sudden surge in confidence?  Sam has been running around the house playing with our dog by chasing her lately.  They have so much fun, and I think Anna's been really wanting to join in, but it's a little hard to do that when you are crawling on the ground.

Honestly, I did not want early walkers.  The idea of chasing 2 walking (and running!) 9 month olds that were probably going in opposite directions at the same time scared me.  I was perfectly happy to have them start to walk at a year old.  Then I agreed that even 14 months would be cool, because I could get a few extra months of merely crawling twins (it's easier to catch up with them if they are on all fours!).  I said I wouldn't start to worry or play the mommy-comparison-game until after 14 months.  I mostly followed that statement.  Sam learned to walk at 14 months, and perfected his walk into a run during 15 months.  Anna lagged behind her brother a bit.  She was cautious about sitting (not perfecting sitting until 9 months) and I had a feeling she'd be the same way about walking.  I'd be lying if I would say I wasn't concerned, but I was a little.  I knew she'd walk soon, but I was just hoping it was well before the danger zone of 18 months. Nobody asks how many words your  little ones says- everyone always asks if they are walking.  Now that Sam and Anna are 16 months old, the "are the walking?" question doesn't even really come up anymore because I think everyone assumes they are.  And I know most kids are at 16 months- but that still doesn't mean there is anything wrong with not walking at that point.

I didn't think she was delayed, Anna was just focusing her attention on her verbal communication development and her fine motor development (on top of being a little cautious about walking).  When I look at the milestones suggested for a 2 year old in those areas, she's already there at 16 months.  She has a spoken vocabulary of over 50 words (not including the signs she knows but does not verbally say), follows directions, and not only points to objects in books when they are named, but can identify some objects in books by name when asked what they are.  She stacks blocks 7+ blocks tall, holds a spoon right side up into her mouth, flips switches and turns knobs. Except for the spoon stuff, Sam's the same way.

They might not be physically advanced in their gross motor skills, but considering both mine and my husband's athletic ability, I didn't really imagine either one as a sports star anyway.  I'm proud of them for what they have accomplished so far in their short lives all the same.

First Time Mom Alert

Whoops.

Seems like I may have made a little mistake that must be rectified.  My husband and I were discussing this weekend when we can consider Sam and Anna as "walking" versus "taking steps."  I've been holding off on saying that Sam's walking because, to me, walking means that's what he does- maybe 90% of the time?  That it is the main mode of mobility?  When they stop falling?  When I can let him loose outside and he'll walk around without me worried he'll face plant into the cement?  Something along those lines, I guess.  Both Sam and Anna take steps and have been for a while- but just when do those steps cross the fine line between stepping and walking?

I told him I would check babycenter.com and google it up and see what the general consensus is.  Most of what I read said they considered walking when it is more than 1-2 steps and the baby does it on their own, without prompting or help.  Ooops.  Sam's been doing that for a while now!  The most steps I've counted is 11 in a row, but usually that's the highest number because he's gotten to his chosen location by that point.  I'd say he walks 50% of the time at home, while at daycare she said last week he was walking about 90% of the time.  So let me make up for lost time and give credit where credit is due: YAY!  SAM'S WALKING!!!

Maybe that's sometimes the disparity in babies that walk at 9 months versus 18 months?  Maybe some people are just more giving in their assessment of walking?  I know the same can be said for sitting- I didn't consider Sam and Anna sitting until they didn't need a boppy to cushion a fall.  I guess where I'm going with this is that people - talking about me here- sometimes need to relax a little and realize people have differing opinions on stuff like that.

(Anna's still solidly in what I would consider the "taking steps" department.  That's really only because she loves holding our hands to travel around and isn't willing too often to walk on her own.  She reaches for our hands and holds them so tight, it is impossible to let go mid walking.  I think she's being smart, actually:  she's figured out, if I only walk when mom or dad are holding my hands or between mom and dad when they are encouraging me, I'm getting sole attention of a parent.  Since Sam's an attention hog usually, I think she's being pretty intelligent on this one!)

One of Everyone's Fears About Day Care

My daycare provider did the unthinkable yesterday... she sent me an email in the morning that Sam took his first step- and walked about 7 feet from their kitchen to their living room.  I tried to give myself a little time to find perspective on this one, but I'm still sad about it.  You see, I missed it.  I wasn't there. I missed his first steps.  Not only did I miss it, but so did my husband. 

I told her when we started going there to pretend all milestones didn't happen until we mentioned them first.  That way I could be ignorant about either of my babies' ability to sit, stand, crawl or walk and live it like it really was the first time when I saw it.  No one would be the wiser, except her.

I think she forgot that conversation.  Or was just too excited to think about it before shooting off the email. (Totally understandable I guess, and I don't begrudge her for it really.) 

My first reactions was not to cheer for my son's new found skill, but to hold back tears for not being there to witness it and cheer him on in person.  I'm trying to just focus on Sam's accomplishment and be happy and proud of him.  Every time I think about it that sadness just creeps in and makes me want to cry.  Alas, this is the beast of daycare.

The fear of missing part of your little one's childhood.

The fear of someone else being there when you are not. 

So Sam's taking  multiple steps in a row... but forgive me if I just pretend for a while he's not.   Until I see some steps for the first time, that is.