Vacuosity

Baby steps

The one thing that was omitted from that We-Didn't-Start-the-Fire-styled entry, mainly because it is significant enough that it deserves its own, is the fact that Jaimeson has started to walk on her own. On Friday (Nov. 15th) she took her first willingly-solo steps. I had forced her to take a few steps on her own, by stranding her in the middle of the floor somewhere, so she would lunge toward some safe habour, like the couch or the closest person. But these steps were genuine.

Believe you me, she was proud of herself. She was laughing and clapping, as if she couldn't believe it. She would do it then look around at everyone with that "Did you see me? Did you see me?" face. Something else. And just a few weeks behind Jordan.

But for all her being advanced (and smart!), there's always something to keep the pride in check. I was reading today in What to Expect the First Year (the absolute must-have for any new parent) about what skills she should have by now. It was broken down into "Should be able to..." "Can probably..." "Might be able to..." and "Might even be able to...". Jaimeson could do every single one one them... except one: sit up. Apparently if she can't sit up on her own yet that warrants a trip to the pediatrician to find out what's wrong. I won't bother though because it's no mystery. If I had a belly proportionate to hers, I wouldn't be able to sit up either.

She's started doing something funny today. She's begun to pick things op of the floor and give them to me. She always picked stuff up; that's nothing new. But it seems like she's picking them up just to get them off the floor, like she knows they shouldn't be there and she's cleaning up. That's one trait she certainly did not inherit from her mother, who is more likely to be the one responsible for whatever's on the floor. At present her coat and bag are on the kitchen floor, her socks are on the living room floor, and any number of unmentionables are on the bedroom floor. Let's not discuss the bathroom.

I have given up all hope of retraining the older one and have abandoned the idea to focus on the younger. Is it against the law to grow your own maid?

posted by David @ 1:03 a.m.