Joanna Prefers to Crawl

Joanna took her first real walking steps on Valentine's Day, shortly after she turned 15 months old. She'd scooted on her feet a bit before that day, but it was the first time she walked two or more real steps. At 16 months old, walking is still not her preferred mode of transportation. Jo prefers to crawl.

We've been slacking on getting video of Jo's first few steps. Finally, the other day, she walked a bit when I was filming her. I told my husband now we have real proof that she can walk but chooses not to. Jo will walk when we bribe her. She'll also walk as a sort of parlor trick. She lifts her hands up in the air and takes a couple steps before looking back at us for applause and cheering.

Oliver was a late walker, too. He took his first steps around his first birthday, but he wouldn't walk around until he was 16 months old. I don't really mind, and, in some ways, it makes my life easier. There are few falls and worries when your little one is crawling around. Still, it also is a little off-putting to see some 11, 12, and 13 month olds walking circles around Jo!

Here are a few of Joanna's steps on film. Funny stuff.
                       

Joanna Can Crawl

Last week, I went to MOMS Club. There was a little girl there who was a year old and crawling all over the place. Wouldn't you know, Joanna watched her and then started to crawl!

I can't believe how quickly she's growing up.

                                 

Oliver the Crawler

I never walked until fifteen months old. My sister never walked until fifteen months old. So, when Oliver took his first steps two months ago, I was surprised and delighted.

...but he still won't walk around! Every night before bed, we have "walking practice." Andrew and I start out sitting about six feet apart from each other, and Oliver walks back and forth between us. We slowly scoot farther and father from each other until we're about twelve feet apart. Oliver smiles with pride as he walks, and we cheer him when he makes it.

He's very cautious, though. The moment he starts to teeter, he sits down. He has yet to fall! What baby walks for two months and doesn't fall? A very cautious one.

Apart from his walking practice, he rarely takes steps throughout the day without holding onto something. If he's standing at a chair, I'll say, "Hey, Oliver, can you walk to me?" He'll turn, think about it, and then crawl to me. Every once in a while, he'll take a few shuffled steps, but that's it.

I talked to a mom at the park yesterday, and she suggested that Oliver just needs to be around other kids his age who start to walk. It's true that he's rarely around other kids, much less kids who are just starting to walk. At the park, there were a few toddlers shuffling about, and Oliver enjoyed watching them. I was amazed when he pulled to a stand and tried to take a step (he sat back down after a step because he was unsteady on the wood chips). Maybe she's right! She told me to take Oliver to the Cherry Creek Mall when it's cold out because there are tons of kids at the free play area there. What a great idea!

In the meantime, I feel a little left out when kids who are a lot younger than Oliver start walking around. When Oliver was nine months and just starting to crawl, our friend Murphy (two weeks older than Oliver) started to walk. Once she took her first steps, she was walking around all the time! Then, just before Oliver took his first steps, our friend Isabella (two months younger than Oliver) started to walk. A few weeks ago, our neighbor Owen (Nearly four months younger than Oliver) started to walk short distances. Now, our friend Logan (over four months younger than Oliver) is walking around!

I know I shouldn't compare kids, but it's so hard not to. I have my Ollie Bear who I adore, and I'm really looking forward to seeing him walk around the house. Of course, he'll walk at some point, but I'm really anxious for that moment to arrive. Meanwhile, parents keep telling me, "Be careful what you wish for! Life changes so much when they start walking!" Well, I'm ready for that change!

Oliver's Big Race

Oliver had his first race today--a ten foot infant crawl at the Denver Children's Museum! As you can see from the photos, he carb-loaded and stretched in preparation for his event. In the end, however, the preparations meant nothing, as he didn't even make it past the starting line. He hates grass, and the sight of all the other people overwhelmed him. He sat and cried while most of the other babies scooted along. Ha!

This event (called Hop, Skip, and a Jump Start) is held annually at the Denver Children's Museum.  In addition to the infant crawl, there's also a 5k (which my mom and I both ran in) as well as a toddler trot and a short kid's race.

A Special Shelf

Because Oliver started crawling yesterday, I decided to finish up some of the baby-proofing around the house. I cleared out the bottom shelf of the book shelf. It looked so empty, so I decided to designate it "Oliver's shelf." I put some of his toys, tupperware, and an empty coffee can (It does not have jagged edges, don't worry! It came sliced with a rounded edge.) on it. I turned to grab the camera to take a picture, and Oliver was already making a bee-line for it! He loves his shelf! I set it up for him again and again with various toys, and each time, he delighted in pulling them off of "his" shelf.

Oliver Crawls for Coco Roos

He's Getting Places!

Oliver is getting so good at "crawling." He doesn't actually crawl, but he grabs the carpet and pulls himself forward. He's fast as lightning!

A couple days ago, Andrew was taking a shower. He'd set Oliver in his room with some toys and stepped into the attached bathroom. A few minutes later, he noticed Oliver sounded close by. He peeked behind the shower curtain, and there was Ollie Bear! He "crawled" to his daddy!

Yesterday morning, the same thing happened to me (although I was kind of expecting it after Andrew's experience). I plopped Oliver on his floor and gave him his drums. I stepped into the shower. Literally, it was less than a minute later when I peeked around the curtain. Oliver was right there! He smiled at me and looked so proud of himself.

Oliver Works on Crawling

Scooting Backwards

Oliver and I worked on crawling this morning. I used the camera as bait. He worked so hard! He tried to push off his toes. Then, he tried to push with his arms. He pushed so hard, he started going backwards. Ha! Not a bad practice run.

Closet Crawler

My baby can crawl!

Andrew and I are trading off baby shifts by the hour today. He's upstairs with Oliver, who's playing in his jungle gym (that's what I call his play mat with the jungle animals that hang down). Anyway, I was here, at the computer, looking up CHP+ information, when Andrew yelled down the stairs, "Oliver's crawling!"

I sat here for a second thinking, "Crawling? What?" I decided Oliver must have scooted a little on his belly or something, so I ran upstairs to catch it. He was on his back, crying a bit. Andrew was on his feet, super excited.

"He crawled!" Andrew yelled. "He got up on his knees and everything!"

I begged him to tell me what happened in detail. He said Oliver was on his back. He rolled over onto his belly, then he got up on his knees and scooted like a caterpillar! Andrew said he crawled about two feet, but not in a straight line at all. Actually, he said it was kind of in a semi-circle. Then Oliver got mad and collapsed onto his belly.

All I could think of was... How can he be crawling already? And then I remembered how, at 6am, when Oliver got up for some milk, I laid him on his back He flopped instantly over onto his belly. Forty-five minutes later, he cried again to get up for the day. I went into his room, and he was on the other side of the crib, still on his belly. I wasn't sure how he'd gotten there, but it hadn't bothered me too much. Now I know! He's a crawler!

I wonder how long he's been able to do that for? Andrew says that crawling two feet followed by crying in exhaustion is probably not the definition of a crawling baby. I think it does. Hurrah!