Slow Crawl

After nine and a half months, my daughter's crawling. Oh the trouble we can get into now with a seven and a four year old running around leaving popcorn, pennies, sugar pops, bite-size toys, paper wads, and writing utensils in their wake. Her new diet's liable to have a heavy increase in iron and lead.

Nonetheless, it's awesome. My favorite part is the proud facial expression she displays every time she crawl-waddles a few "steps" forward. When I start cheering for her, she has to process a moment. Then, she breaks into gaping smiles like jack o' lanterns I've cut the bottom half out of. Just the opposite of when I tell her, "No-no!" She processes that word for a few seconds, then she explodes into a crying fit. Since it hurts to hear that, I suppose the answer is to spoil her, right? I'll try to get the first two kids right, and then I can spoil this one -- since she's my little princess -- isn't that the way it's supposed to work?

She's a late crawler so hopefully she's a late walker. She's loves to stand, though, so it may not be too much longer. My first son was walking at the end of nine months, but my second waited until almost a year. Druthers? I'll take the second. That way, you're still proud, and you buy time. Of course, it's only bailing water from a sinking ship, because the big trouble's on its way no matter what.

But it's the kind of big trouble I love ;)