Baby Steps

Every parent has a running list of things to worry about. Is my child getting enough vegetables in his diet? Is he behaving himself when he is at school? Are his writing skills where they should be? Why can't he throw a ball? And what is on one parent's list might never see the light of day on someone else's list. Furthermore, a mother's list might be very different than the father's list.

It doesn't matter the age of the child, the list of worries can easily transform to what is appropriately going on at that stage, specific to who the child is....Will my child get into a good college? Is he is drinking when he goes out with friends on the weekends? Is the girl he is dating good enough for him?

There are an infinite number of items on my worry list. Some days the items on the bottom of the list can find themselves in the top position of importance and other days, the list and what is on it doesn't seem so necessary to give two shits about.

Today my concern of Samantha never getting beyond the crawling stage of moving is no longer a worry. Slowly, but surely, Sam has learned to pull herself up to a standing position and actually took a step or two holding onto the couch to cruise this morning. It doesn't seem like a big thing to most people, but to me, my husband and her brother this was a very big deal. Given that most babies, on average, take their first steps unassisted on their first birthday, it seemed like Sam was never going to realize her role model for moving shouldn't be the dog on all fours.

After the excitement died down and we went back to our regular morning routine, I noticed Sam was following me out of the playroom. Lo and behold, my girl on the move started climbing up the steps after me. She made it up halfway and then decided to take a break by going into a sitting position. It doesn't take a brain scientist to realize that wouldn't have been a good idea. Before she was able to tumble backwards down 3 steps, I caught her. We have baby gates at the top of the steps to keep her from falling down them, now I guess we need to put another set of baby gates to keep her from falling up them!

Never one to keep the list of worries from getting shorter, Sam learning how to walk is now being replaced with "hoping she doesn't crack her head open or break her neck if I can't get there quick enough to catch her from falling."