Pob has been trying to crawl for about two and a half months now, if you start counting from the time she started getting on all fours and rocking backwards and forwards, as if she was a dinky toy and trying to wind herself up enough that she'd eventually start moving. She has yet to actually crawl. What she did learn to do about 10 days ago was to pull herself along the floor on her arms. It's as if she has designed the most energy-inefficient model for movement, just specially to make life difficult for herself. She gets onto all fours, rocks backwards and forwards, sometimes moves her legs forward, sometimes moves an arm, then collapses down onto her tummy, and pulls herself bodily across the floor, as if she was a little mini-soldier, crawling under the barbed wire.
Until this morning, the only time she would actually move was when there was something she's not allowed to play with within body-distance - a coffee cup, a blackberry, a phone, a remote control, or some paper (any paper, she's not really fussy). Then she can move like lightning. If we put her on her tummy without one of these things being within 2 meters or so, she just wails. Then this morning, I walked in the door and she immediately wiggled out of H's arms and started pulling herself across the floor, to me. I've rarely been so gratified. And delighted, because I hadn't seen her for 48 hours.
Yup, I just left my baby for the first time. It was very very hard in the anticipation, and I missed her ever so while I was away, and I started nearly crying this morning when the usual mess up occurred at Heathrow and we couldn't get off the already-delayed-by-2-hours plane. But actually, while I was away, it wasn't too bad. I went a long way, to a meeting which wasn't that good, but where I got to have some important conversations with some people who have a lot do say about my future career. So it was worth it. I missed her, but it was ok, better than I thought it was going to be. We coped. I'll be away from her again soon, it's just a fact of my job that I have to travel. But now I know I can do it, hopefully the anticipation of the next trip won't be as bad.
The commando-crawl!
I miss that....
Posted by: daysgoby | Thursday, 19 June 2008 at 16:03
My little guy came to me running already...(sigh). Little Pob will be running around soon asking for the car keys. Enjoy these crawling days.
Posted by: annmarie | Thursday, 19 June 2008 at 16:38
So it's new travels for both of you...Tricky managed to perfect the caterpillar crawl, quite inchwormish, make sure you video it...
when you described the plane being late at Heathrowe I felt my stomach churn because that rising panic at being too far too long from your baby is the worst...
Posted by: OvaGirl | Thursday, 19 June 2008 at 17:17
Glad to hear your little girl took such an excited interest in getting to her momma! My girl (she's seven) is spending two and a half weeks with her grandparents. I'll miss her too!
Posted by: Heather | Thursday, 19 June 2008 at 18:29
I was reliably informed today that ALL children LOVE remote controls. Why IS that?
Posted by: Country Chick | Thursday, 19 June 2008 at 21:00
For my elder, that commando crawl lasted about a day. Another mom told me to get it on video. I was glad I did; the next day he was crawling for real.
Posted by: Girl Detective | Thursday, 19 June 2008 at 23:25
So you and Pob are both on the move. Sounds like you both are adjusting to these changes nicely!
Posted by: lucky2 | Friday, 20 June 2008 at 13:01
We used to keep old remotes for just such occasions...and now I guess I'll need another one, eh?
I hope you don't have to travel too much, I know why you have to, but oh how this sucks to leave.
Posted by: Aurelia | Friday, 20 June 2008 at 14:07
our little one also took "forever" to go from the "up on all fours" stage to the crawling stage. with her, she would rock and rock and rock and then, when she saw something she wanted, would use a "roll and roll some more" approach to get where she wanted to go. this went on for almost 2 months. then, literally, over a 48 hour period she went from that to "really crawling" across the room fast enough that gates HAD to be installed IMMEDIATELY. i don't know - it was like something just suddenly "clicked" in the motor skills section of her brain and that was it.
we're at the same point now with walking. she has been scooting around the furniture for weeks and occasionally toys with the concept of letting go and standing on her own. then its back to her "comfort zone." i'm curious to see if the transition from "almost there" to "got it" happens as "overnight" here as it did with the crawling.
isn't it just amazing to watch.....
Posted by: another karen | Friday, 20 June 2008 at 16:16
I have yet to leave the Kitten other than to go to work for the day - the thought of a longer separation fills me with dread. I'm glad you survived and got that cute reward on your return! The Kitten finally figured out crawling 2 days ago, just in time for her 9-month peds appointment (and a happy 9 months to Pob as well!)
My husband ordered an extra remote just for her, which sits in her toy basket, without batteries. She could play with it for HOURS. Daddy's little girl...
Posted by: silene | Friday, 20 June 2008 at 16:16