Levi's 9 month birthday just slipped right by me!
We don't have any stats because the doctor said we don't have to have him checked on until 12 months, when he will get his next round of shots. We are quite certain he is a healthy boy though. Well, I do have one worry, and maybe somebody out there can relate.
He isn't crawling yet. And he really doesn't seem to want to. And I'm kind of starting to worry that there is something wrong. I've been overwhelmed with "mommy guilt" recently, thinking that I either didn't eat the "right" things during pregnancy to give him the brain development to be physically coordinated, or that I haven't spent enough time with him to give him the confidence to crawl. Daniel was an early crawler at 6 months old, so he was working on his cruising by 9 months. The books all say that most kids start crawling around 8 months, and if he was even showing an interest in crawling I think I wouldn't be worrying, but he's not. He can skooch himself backwards and in circles on his tummy, and he can roll the length of our living room to get what he wants, but as soon as we try to get his knees up under him, he just flattens himself back out, and if we persist he starts screaming. *Sigh* I just don't know what's hindering him.
But now onto the good stuff. :)
He has two teeth! And two more on the way. 
He's a roller! And a happy one at that. He babbles all day long, he gives smiles to everybody, he eats well and has the pincher grasp down pat. Joe's O's and banana chunks are his very favorite things. He loves animals and will "pet" the cats if they come within his reach.
He and Daniel are bonding more and more every day. The other day I laid them both down for naps at the same time. A few minutes later I heard Daniel get out of his bed but I decided to ignore it, hoping he would get back in and go to sleep soon. For a few minutes I could hear Daniel walking around his room and then I hear him say "Thank you e-i (Levi)". When Daniel gives something to Levi he always says "Thank you e-i", so I figured he had just given Levi a toy and then he would go back to bed. But no. Then the laughter started. Both Daniel and Levi were laughing pretty hard, so after a minute of just enjoying the sound of it, I decided that it was time to get them settled down and napping so I went into their room. I found Daniel standing on his jumping stool next to Levi's crib, and Levi's crib full of stuffed animals. There were probably 15 animals in there, and every time Daniel tossed a new one in there they would both burst out laughing. They are two silly boys and I'm excited for (and a little bit nervous about) the days when they can really start playing together.
Here's Levi with his cousin Benjamin, who is just 11 days younger than he is. And yes, Levi does have a sunburn on his arms. That sunshine at the zoo just felt so wonderful and I forgot to be totally proactive about sunscreen. :(
He and Daniel are bonding more and more every day. The other day I laid them both down for naps at the same time. A few minutes later I heard Daniel get out of his bed but I decided to ignore it, hoping he would get back in and go to sleep soon. For a few minutes I could hear Daniel walking around his room and then I hear him say "Thank you e-i (Levi)". When Daniel gives something to Levi he always says "Thank you e-i", so I figured he had just given Levi a toy and then he would go back to bed. But no. Then the laughter started. Both Daniel and Levi were laughing pretty hard, so after a minute of just enjoying the sound of it, I decided that it was time to get them settled down and napping so I went into their room. I found Daniel standing on his jumping stool next to Levi's crib, and Levi's crib full of stuffed animals. There were probably 15 animals in there, and every time Daniel tossed a new one in there they would both burst out laughing. They are two silly boys and I'm excited for (and a little bit nervous about) the days when they can really start playing together.
Here's Levi with his cousin Benjamin, who is just 11 days younger than he is. And yes, Levi does have a sunburn on his arms. That sunshine at the zoo just felt so wonderful and I forgot to be totally proactive about sunscreen. :(
Two cuties!
5 comments:
Isn't the mommy guilt just awesome? (sense my sarcasm there - I'm one of the guiltiest mommies around and I don't think I've even done anything terrible!). I thought about a Parents article I'd read - it might help ease the guilt. :^) Hopefully the link works on here:
http://www.parents.com/baby/development/crawling/baby-physical-growth-delayed-crawling/
Emily you are an amazing mama!!! Every little one God makes is completely and amazingly unique! Singing Jesus loves me is Samuels immediate que to lay down and sleep...at this age if we even started to hum it Elijah would seriously bawl uncontrollably! As for the crawling, if it is any comfort, Elijah never crawled. He scooted on his butt and then finally started walking around 14 months. So don't worry...he will get there...for now just enjoy his slower method of mobility!
I think this is the perfect example of the one negative thing about having 2 little boy cousins who are so close in age - comparison! I'm sure Levi's disinterest in crawling is just that and he'll make himself more mobile when he's ready. At Benjamin's 6 month check I asked the Doc several times about my concern that he still wasn't sitting up by himself... she just kept smiling and telling me he'd do it when he was ready and not to worry unless he's still not sitting by the time he's 9 months. I was extra concerned because it seemed like Levi was sitting so well at that point... and of course, Benjamin started doing it when he was ready (although he still doesn't ever sit for long). So much of it is personality, I think.
Also, Ella didn't ever crawl in the technical sense. She went straight from army crawling (seriously only using her arms) to walking. She would cry if we tried to teach her actual "crawling mechanics" because she wanted her tummy on the ground, too.
And, I'm totally jealous that he's not moving very far right now! That means your cupboards are still safe and organized, your animals are safe from repeated pestering and he's probably not ingesting quite the amount of dirt, etc that his cousin is since you can set him in a "safe zone" and he'll stay there!!!
Emily, I had a cousin that didn't crawl until he was 13 or 14 months--he would just scooch on his buns! But he's the one who became a marathon runner as an adult! Also, my Craig didn't talk until he was three--I was SO sure there was something wrong. Well, maybe there is, but he CAN talk if he wants to. 'Nuf of the guilt!
Nancy
Emily, you are a GREAT Mom and I'm sure have done nothing to hinder the growth of your children. As I remember, you didn't walk till 13-14 months. I was so frustrated with people asking "is she walking yet?" But you are a pretty darn good walker now!!:)All in good time my sweetie...Love you all! MOM
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