The Evolution of Walking

It started with an attempt to crawl that looked more like something the military spent weeks getting me to perfect (the "low crawl") ... Patrick got that down in a few minutes. After all the photos, videos, and calls to our grandparents, we marveled at how amazing our son was.

Then, the crawl became something that involved all four limbs; quite a bump up from just his arms. It wasn't long before he was moving quick enough to get his fingers into the door as I was closing it.

The primal scream of pain was unreal ... yet, all too real. The little man's finger was dented ... I still feel a bit guilty today and it has been months since the incident.

Then, just as Patrick was getting the crawling down, he managed to pull himself into a standing position without any help. About that time, he took a nose dive off the bed into a popcorn bowl ... it was hard not to laugh as he cried in pain.

He loved playing with a fire engine that he can sit on and in no time, he was pushing it along. This has evolved into the use of a plastic walker that he'll chase me around the house with. Just a few days ago, he figured out that when Papa stops and turns around, he can run at me and scoot under my legs!

While he will walk with someone holding each hand, he will also walk beside us using just one hand ... although he's still a bit unstable this way. It is really cool having him walk beside me while holding my hand.

And, he has also learned to stand on his own ... first by bracing on the floor, but now he's standing without using his hands. Not long and he'll be off to the races ...

Comments

Playing On The Stairs

We were playing near the stair from our kitchen to the lower level. Patrick had a squishy toy we bought for him a few weeks back. When it hits something, it flashes brightly ... he loves it. He was tossing the toy down the stairs and I was flipping it back up to him, often bouncing it off his head or chest. The laughter was incredible ... so much fun. Then, he made a run toward the stairs to get in a good toss ... and I knew he was in trouble. He tripped as I launched myself up the stairs ... just in time to catch him before his head hit the first step down the stairs. As Jen came around the corner to see what all the commotion was about, I was just getting my nerves back in order and began lifting him back to his feet. He let me hold him for a few seconds then, seeing his mother nearby, his tears stopped and he stretched out for her. ... so much fun!

What If?

Jen and I have asked ourselves few questions along the way ... I'm sure there will be more, but here are some of the answers we have found: What if he drinks the bath water? He might feel queasy or get diarrhea if the water is soapy, but he will not have a problem with germs unless he bathes with someone else, says Philip Tierno, Ph.D., director of clinical microbiology at New York University Medical Center, in New York City, and author of The Secret Life of Germs. Wash children one at a time, and try not to let them drink the water. What if he sticks his finger into a socket? Standard household current would give a child a mild shock, similar to that from static electricity, says Liza DeWitt, M.D., a pediatrician at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, in Milwaukee. The child would be startled and probably pull his hand away, but electrical skin burns can still occur. What can be more serious is not pulling away immediately, which can put him at risk of internal o...

Getting Involved

This is the second night in a row that we were able to spend time and Grandma and Papap's ... Patrick enjoys it so much! We even had a rousing rendition of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" with all five of us involved ... yes, Patrick is pitching in now. He runs from person to person, giving a bit to each one of us ... there is never a dull moment. Tonight, he repeated a new activity from last night. Last night, it was getting everyone involved in chasing him around the house ... tonight, we had this activity, but what we saw was that he wanted to play different games and wanted certain people involved. This is when he went to each person that needed to be involved and grabbed a finger, pulling them along. He even checked every now and then to make sure they were still following. Such an amazing child ... knows how to ensure that we sleep well.

Fatherhood

Search This Blog