Look Mom, No Hands!

Harmony has learned a new trick!
Eight months old and standing up!
For weeks, Harmony's been practicing this skill, especially in her high chair, which makes us all a bit nervous:
(and for those who actually watched the video -- I KNOW! We have now put her highchair on the floor, anchoring it by attaching it to the chair legs.) She also gets up pretty high on her knees, trying to be a part of everything around her:
But yesterday she spent a good part of the day grabbing onto my hands, pulling up, letting go, grinning, falling down, and grinning some more. She's absolutely pleased with herself, and so are we. She's not walking, but she's able to balance and stand without support! My kids have all been extremely active and seem to reach the moving milestones a bit early. I think their brains are just wired for early movement, though when Lillian started scooting at four months and walking at ten months, of course I was sure it was a sign of her intelligence (I know, those crazy first-time moms!). Since then, I've learned to appreciate the wondrous variety of both my own children and of those around me. For example, I have a friend whose six kids have always amazed me with how quickly they learn to talk. My own kids tend to be late talkers; I guess their brain focuses so much on movement that they don't even think to figure out how to speak. Just about every time I go to an 18 month doctor's appointment, the doctor will ask me if they're talking, and I'll say, "sure," then think to myself, "if you count moo, mom, dad, and meow, we're up to about ten words!" We're never anywhere close to the fifty words most 18-month-olds are supposed to know. My friend's kids, on the other hand, are always miles ahead of mine in their verbal skills. Our last few kids have been born about the same time. By the time they nearing their second birthday, we'll get the kids together and hers will be saying complete and complex sentences while mine are only saying simple words. It seems like every time I have a child reaching their second birthday, I start to worry (I even had Joey evaluated when he turned two because he talked so little. He turned out to be bright in every way except verbal skills. I know, I know, those nervous new moms!). Within a few months after their second birthday, however, they all seem to catch up and speak in sentences almost overnight. Which is my point, actually. My friend's kids? They don't do much moving around. They don't crawl on schedule and don't start walking until after fifteen months. I don't think my little movers are smarter than her little talkers, they're just different, all of them wonderful in their own little way. Wouldn't it be boring if every kid crawled, talked, and walked according to a set schedule? By the way, my earliest child on the standing up milestone was Sarah, who was just six months old when she balanced herself: Ironically, and adding to the discussion about the wondrous variety of God's children, she and Allison, her identical twin, started walking within a few days of each other, both at nine months. Here's a picture of nine-month-old Allison walking: We don't have any pictures of Sarah walking at that age because after a day or two, she decided it was too scary. She crawled around for three more months before deciding to let go, giggle like crazy, and walk: Aren't babies wonderful?

Comments

I love your perspective, Christina. My perspective has changed a lot as my kids got older, especially with Katie. I now take NO milestones for granted, but I don't compare kids either, and I definitely do not think one kids is smarter than another because they reached a milestone first. That being said. NINE MONTHS! That's super early! I was secretly a little glad that Megan didn't walk until 19 months. Made chasing her a little easier. And she stayed a baby for a little longer. :)
Michelle said…
I too thought that when my first child walked early--he must be a genius! But then I had more children, and my perspective changed too.

Now I don't want my baby (and last one) to do anything too quickly. :)

Plus, my #4 child (special needs) had to work sooooo hard to reach each and every milestone. So I don't take any milestone for granted, whenever they are reached.

Harmony is sooooooo cute! She is just a few months older than my baby.

Babies are too adorable!
Jacki said…
I am always so amazed when a tiny baby walks! She sure looks excited! My son just figured out how to walk and now how to get up in the middle of the room. Babies learn so much!
alligood said…
This is SO TRUE!!! My kids tend to be late walkers, early talkers, and early on their small motor skills. I remember with Matt (my first), comparing him to a friend's baby - also her first. They were only 2 weeks apart in age, but her little guy was pulling to a stand and MUCH more physically active and capable. Matt, though, could already use the pincer grasp to pick up cheerios and was beginning to speak. We both fretted so much over what our little ones couldn't do yet. Now, though, ten years later, there is no indication of who could walk first vs. who could talk first! They are remarkably similar boys in their interests and talents. I think babies are amazing!
What a fun time! She really is darling. Have fun chasing her around the house in a few weeks when she starts moving those legs too!

So, do you sing? When I was watching the video, the way you said "Harmony" the first time sounded almost like you were singing it--and it sounded very pretty.
Lisa6Kids said…
I think there definitely can be a correlation with talking-late walking and vice versa. My kids are full on talking at a year but often do not walk until 15 months. Maddy and Gabby walked the earliest at 9.5 mo and 12 mo but barely talked until age 2.
Lisa6Kids said…
Oh and I must add. Harmony is lovely!
Momza said…
Aren't babies just a miracle each and every one?!
Thanks for stopping by my little blog and directing your friend there as well. Thanks too for your kind comments...a little encouragement always goes a long ways.
You have a very sweet bunch of kiddos!
This is so much fun! I had some who walked at early stages. 8 1/2 mon, 9 mon, and 9 1/2 mon, 10 mon, and then 11 mon. So it is great for me to have the twin girls walking at 11 1/2 months. I don't know what I would have done to have a 2 year old and 9 month old girls walking and getting into eveything. I don't know how you did it!
Enjoy this fun stage. I love it!
Meradith said…
She is so beautiful Christina! I just love her little face! It is really interesting how different babies are. I will say that I love, absolutely LOVE this age that they are in (Harmony and Lucy both). They are exploring constantly and it seems like changing every single day, which is both exciting and a little sad for me. Being a mother is so much more fun than I thought it could be. Thanks for sharing those cute pics and sweet videos!

P.S. And Thank you for the bread! We love Aaron's bread!! And no of course you didn't scare us off yesterday:) Jason just thought Lucy would stay asleep longer if we were in the gym where the lights were dimmed. Your girls are so much fun. Lucy would grab Sara's face and she just kept telling me, "I let babies do whatever they want to me!!" So funny.