Thursday, July 17, 2008

Do they make helmets for six month olds?





It has been thoroughly entertaining watching Stewart begin to crawl these past few weeks. He started out rolling across the floor. Then he did the worm like Turbo in Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo. Soon he was pulling up on one knee and bouncing back and forth from this position to Downward Dog, or a Sun Salutation (without lifting his torso and arms of course). I was so proud of my little Yogi. But this week we have entered a new phase. I once upon a time said that my husband should wear a helmet at all times. My son is a chip off the old block. I have child proofed my home very well. But do I have to get rid of all my furniture too? The odd part is, he still hasn't crawled the length of a room. He still mostly does the worm to obtain a favored object. He will army crawl, elbows only, dragging the rest of his body, almost as if he were a snake. On occasion, to find a favored spot in a room, he will take about four deliberate knee/hand crawls. His favorite spot is my open kitchen cabinet. There he knows he can find numerous objects of interest, like the plastic watering can and my collection of unmatched tupperwares. Then the climb begins. Into the cupboard, up the side of the cupboard. Up the side of the fridge. He loves my kitchen chairs; they have rungs at just the right level for him to try and climb up. He also loves our coffee table. I thought we had the perfect coffee table, its circular. But the legs have all sorts of carvings with sharp edges and corners, and of course, he loves to climb underneath it and around its legs and supports. He is no longer trying to crawl, but trying to stand up and walk. We had to get rid of the mobile in his crib; he could grab it. We moved the crib down a level. Now he climbs up the crib walls. Is he plotting his escape? In the past four days my child has probably bashed his head at least ten times a day, and I try desperately to prevent this from happening. He already has two black and blue marks. I dread taking him for his six month check up on Monday... will the doctor think I'm a bad mom? Or worse, that I'm abusive? I know this is just a stage. I continue to adore watching him explore and discover. I've stopped crying about every bash to his nogan that I can't prevent. But I don't think I'll be able to watch him snowboard. At least then he'll be able to wear a helmet. Do they make helmets for six month olds?

1 comment:

vantiganloos said...

OH!!! I responded to your email w/o even checking YOUR blog!!! he's SO SO SO fun!!! and good looking! you have got yer hands FULL. wouldn't have it any other way!