First Steps

I was discussing Jonathan's early progress and history with chair walking with his kindergarten teacher, who said his first steps are a short time away, and she was right! On the very day of the above mentioned discussion, on November 17th at 17:45 Jonathan really walked for the first time!

The development doctor said Jonathan was “110% by the book”, but I read some baby books an sometimes I think he is “the book in the opposite direction”. For example, he seams happy enough to come to the kindergarten and shows no disinclination to be separated from his mommy in the mornings, but when I come to pick him up in the afternoon he truly complains about having to leave and go home! My concern is that as he sees more of the kindergarten teachers than he does of me (most of his at home hours are spent in sleep...at night) he is actually indeed suffering the first signs of the separation fear that babies go through between the age of 12 to 16 months (as mentioned in the book), but that his main contact person is not his mommy, but his care taker. If this is the case, then Jonathan is by the book alright! Only that the book's assumption that mom is the most important person is his life is just mistaken.

And yet as I write these words, Jonathan is constantly claiming my attention to himself, and I must stop! Suddenly I am important again and he is behaving by the book, seeking to share in my activity – but not really letting me get on with it!

He also seems to have a developed a keen social sense. Although one cannot expect babies Jonathan's age to play with one another, his kindergarten teacher says he is a member of a constant trio – I have also seen him at play with these two other children, and although they are not truly playing with each other, it is clear that they know the others are there, they react to one another , chase each other about the room and clearly enjoy the company! Jonathan has shown his social sense also in the repeated wish to share food! When I or my husband are eating, he will come to claim his share in the activity/ plate! He does not seem to be shocked when there are lots of people around and he repeated the “feed me” action in a family birthday party, choosing to share my older sister's food (no wonder, she was eating delicious spaghetti bolonese).

He is growing so fast! Who can believe that he has tripped his weight in the last year? (from 3.3 Kg to 10!) Who can believe that the first year is almost over? Only yesterday I was writing an email to a friend in the UK that he already needs to be followed around the house because he is crawling well and pushing chairs to his hearts content (only to be found nibbling on toilet paper in the loo...or sitting inside his toy drawer, playing with its contents quietly – just like his mommy did when she was his age) as a response to her concern regarding having to watch over a walking baby. After all Jonathan's first birthday is fast approaching! Jonathan is showing progress in the fact that he already stands alone and has recently also taken to walking holding an adults hands too. Only this afternoon Jonathan's kindergarten teacher mentioned that his first steps are a matter of a short time, since he controls the action of walking so well when dragging a chair about. She said it must come soon because to the walking control one can add the fact that he already stands so well! The woman has the talent of prophecy...I say this because today it happened! It was short, but still it was the real thing! This evening Jonathan walked 3 steps all alone! Yeppee!

And as I write these words, he is doing it again! 2 steps this time...