Our Little Buddy is almost eight months old, and we are getting so much joy out of watching him reach new milestones. It’s funny because he much prefers playing with toys on his stomach over playing in a seated position, and although he can get up on his hands and knees and even all fours, he prefers to army crawl. (He can move very quickly!)
Little Buddy still has a peculiar fascination with electrical cords, which we don’t allow him to touch, of course. But when we plug one in for even just a second, he can spy it from across the room and makes a beeline. Recently, our little mover has started grabbing onto chairs and other objects and using them to pull himself up to his knees and even into a standing position. And when he does, he’s so proud of himself! The challenge that comes along with that is that he is by no means stable yet, so we have to watch him very closely.
His most recent accomplishment was climbing an entire staircase, which he did yesterday for the first time. I had my hand on his back because he isn’t stable enough to do it by himself, but he did all the climbing. I was stunned.
On another note, his fussiness is slowly improving–emphasis on the slowly. We think he used to fuss because he wanted to be on the move and hadn’t learned to crawl. Now. we think he fusses because he wants to walk but can’t without assistance. Oh how difficult it is to be a baby! We were laughing last weekend because we had some friends in town and had four adults and three children staying with us. Our son was the youngest and the only one not walking, but he sure pulled his own weight.
If one of the kids was playing with a toy that he wanted, he would crawl right up to them or rush over in his walker, pull the toy out of their hand, and then be on his merry way. It was really hard not to laugh because I had never seen such a young baby do that, but we tried to hide our chuckles. And although he doesn’t have any concept of sharing at such a young age, we would gently return the toy to the other child and find something else for Little Buddy to play with. And sometimes that prompted quite the dramatic response from Little Buddy! It sure is rough to learn that you can’t always have your way, but it’s an essential life skill.
We have been doing a ton of baby proofing, and I plan to write an extensive post with photos because there are very few baby proofing guides out there. I’m signing off now, as it is 9:30pm, and I need a few minutes of relaxation before bed. Hope you enjoyed the update.
Anonymous
Wellllll, as long as he’s not asking for the car keys yet, you have some time to get used to this mobility thing.
Ellie
Haha, that’s very true!
anonymous
I wonder if one of my previous comments, about the baby’s bedroom window being turned into the kind that is all glass at the bottom, with the little sliding window part at the top is more relevant now? I supposed it is sort of rude of me to comment major renovation changes like that instead of adaptations to what’s there. Its just I once walked into a room and my baby was on the ledge of an open window. And I’ve heard, as a baby, I was all the way out on the roof that was accessible from a window.
Jessica
As a mama to 6, with plenty of stairs, we didn’t use gates on the stairs. I did teach them how to back their way down the stairs. If they can crawl up, they can crawl down. It’s worth teaching them by moving their legs/body until they pick it up. Best thing you can do. Enjoy that adorable little boy!
Ellie
You’re brave! I would love to hear more about how you teach them how to go down stairs from an early age. Were you just extra vigilant until they learned how to go down safely? I “tested” my son, just to see what he would do at the top of the stairs. Unfortunately, he just tried to launch himself over the edge. After watching him try to do that, I put up the gate.
Anonymous
I’d use a gate til he’s much older. Stairs are dangerous. Toddlers are top-heavy.
MJ
I did not use baby gates with my kids either. When they were old enough (a little older than your son), I showed them how to go down the stairs feet first and on their stomachs. I stayed right with them at first. We practiced many times. Whenever I saw them attempting to go down the stairs alone, I would call out, “Feet first!”
Anonymous
Yes, but turn your back for a moment, get distracted, need to use the bathroom, and…… It’s not bad teaching them to crawl down the stairs, but it should be done with supervision. Other times, a gate is an added layer of security. Til they can scale it!!
anonymous
This might not be something you would do, but consider installing a home babysitter video camera.
If you do this before you need it then it will be there if you need it. That way if you had to entrust your baby to someone you could check on your phone how things are going in real time. If you are not happy with what you see you can intervene. This would work for other situations too. Like children playing in a room you are not in. The listening devices seem innocent and acceptable, but a video device seems too big brotherish but its your life and your child. Maybe you are already doing this. Another thing you could consider is motion or break apart alarms. If your Baby goes into or opens things you set as off limits the aslarms would sound. All too high tech? Maybe! But people have been caught doing unacceptable things on videos. It alsdo stands as proof and deterrent if people know there are videois running. And motion alerts might be a baby proof approach you didn’t consider yet.
Emma
I also did this. Taught them very carefully had to go up and down the stairs. One of my daughters did this at five months old I was hysterical, but she was safe because I had taught her when she started crawling. You never know when someone’s going to leave the gate open or if it breaks
Eileen
I enjoyed your sweet loving update of your son. Eileen
anonymous
I suppose you like to be the hostess, but it would be good for you to get some invites from people. So you, Mr H. and little Buddy have to be the ones experiencing everything from the guest point of view too.
Benita
Just wait till he learns to run!!!!!! They can disappear in the blink of the eye!!!!!!! And cover a lot of distance in the same amount of time!!!!! My oldest child was an expert at this!!!!! One example: My daughter was 2 at the time, she’s 33 now, and I had her with me while I was hanging clothes on the line. It was during summer, and we could hear the h.s. band practicing during their camp. We lived just 2 blocks from the h.s. Anyway, she kept saying “band, band” over and over. I told her as soon as I got through we would go. I bent down to get a t-shirt, hung it on the line, and when I looked around, she was gone. There is a dirt alley behind our house, and when I got to that alley, she had already reached the paved street and about to cross it. She did join the track team in middle school and the band in high school!
Ellie
Wow, that’s scary! Funny that she ended up being a runner though.
Ellie
Marilyn
The baby is sure getting aware of his surroundings. He sounds like an inquisitive baby. God Bless.
Joan,Marion and Marilyn
Anonymous
Awe. I have a nine month old who was a very fussy younger baby. Once she mastered the traditional-style crawl (which seems to take a lot less effort than army crawling after it becomes second nature) and stand with ease, the fussiness disappeared. Hope you have the same experience!
Laura
You are the fussy one, methinks!
Anonymous
??? How so?
Anonymous
You must not have children! Wow! There is no reason to be rude! Some babies are fussy babies. Most of them outgrow it as they start getting mobile.
Anonymous
I did enjoy the update! Children are so fun and so challenging! Generally if your first is busy and fussy, your second will be calm and laid back. It is enjoyable to see their personalities from a very young age!
Anonymous
I’m trying to think back…my son, who had been a preemie, was 10 months when he was crawling like that. He pulled up and stood at 12 months but didn’t actually walk until 15 months. But he was talking a blue streak by then and could recite the entire alphabet by memory. The doc said don’t worry – he’ll be walking by the time he goes to college on a scholarship. Proud to say he was able to walk around the college campus with that scholarship, and he walks everywhere now! In other words, these things happen on their own schedule, so don’t rush it and don’t worry. I know mothers have a way of comparing “milestones” and if your baby isn’t doing things as fast as the others, it can make you wonder.
Ellie
Sounds like a smart guy!
Anonymous
Oh my word, someone should write a book on babyproofing! There’s loads of options and crazy things you don’t think about until they do it!
Anonymous
So true. You know those tiny tiny slits of space formed between the different parts of a toilet seat? Did you know that skinny things like papers and leaves could get pushed in there? I didn’t, until I had kids!! NASA should hire toddlers – they think of everything.
Anonymous
usually if they have the motor skills to climb up they can go down. just be with them when they go up, when at the top they just reach for you trusting you to catch them head first, just keep turning them around and feet first guide them down showing them what their legs need to do till it is automatic for them, its just like going up just backwards. they catch on really fast and I didn’t have a baby gate.