I’ve been mostly keeping a good attitude about the fact that my child can’t walk. He’s always been on the “late” end of the spectrum for physical milestones. His doctor isn’t worried. I’ve frankly enjoyed that he has been much easier to wrangle than most other kids his age. Plus it’s given me a card to play when people seem irritated or jealous of his verbal ability. Hey, look, he can’t walk.
But the last few weeks, it’s been wearing on me. He insists on holding “BOTH!” hands when he walks. I try not to hunch over, but that leaves me in a sumo wide-leg waddle that isn’t ultimately that much better. Now my knees and my back hurt.
The other day, I ran into a mom friend whose kid is now 2. (Hi Mantra!) Jonah was in the stroller, we were heading to Trader Joe’s to do some shopping. I hadn’t seen Mantra in a while, reported to her that I’m getting impatient, wanting him to walk.
“You know,” she said, “once he can walk, it doesn’t mean he’s going to go where you want him to.”
Oh! Riiiiight.
D’oh.
That night, Jonah initiated this game in the bath. He sits, he stands up, he sits down. Scott narrated it. Staaaand up! Sit dowwwnnn.
Then, yesterday, Jonah started playing it in the nursery, with an added “Kapow!” for when he lands on his butt. It’s amazing he’s not completely bruised. He loves this game. He stands up, raises his arms, flops down on his butt. Laughs and laughs. After he’d been doing this NONSTOP for half an hour, we finally remembered to get out the video camera. He’s slowing down a bit by this point, but still going.
Walking can’t be far behind, right?
Today he was doing it again, and standing for as long as five seconds. We are crazy impressed.
Jonah has been leading his development with his head all along. His brain is too busy with language activities to be bothered with the feet…they will be there when he needs them. As curious as he is now, being bipedal will only enhance his checking in on curious things…wherever they are…from one room to the next. Mom–you think you are tired now? Good job.
Pssst … walking is not a milestone. Crawling is, and verbalization is, but walking isn’t. No one cares when the kid walks. I used to know why, but I don’t any more.
Mare was a late walker. (15+ months) She’s a dancer now.
DaMomma’s last blog post..Defying Darwin
Watch out! Here he comes! You were a late walker. You didn’t walk till you were 18 months. Not to worry. A very wise person once said to me, “They all walk and talk by the time they are 4”. I think that might have been you. This is a corollary to the principle, “They are all toilet trained by the time they walk down the aisle.”
Oh I’d pay a million dollars for another day of what you are describing! I had all but forgotten the stand up/sit down bathtub game. Everyone says it goes by too fast and that’s because it does.
When Sean started trying to walk I remember thinking how sore and tired I’d be if I fell down on my butt 600 times a day.
You’ve got a cute cute little guy!
All of my boys have been late walkers. Yes it is a bit of a pain to bend over and walk with them, But on the other hand they can’t run away at the mall. Good Luck!