Rarities and Oddities - Part Une

There is a funky side to little Abigail. She is full of initiatives, which in and of itself is nothing rare. However, Abbie has a way to make every little discovery her own. She will apply her playful personality to all endeavors.

For example: she has created a new motion style. She crawls - on her knees. No hands. Just knees. She scoots along on her knees as if perpetually on a mobile praying spree. Sometimes, her hands are clasped together, which is what gave me the "praying" imagery to begin with. Sometimes she will clap. Occasionally, she will have an index finger in her mouth. But, regardless, she rolls like freight train on those two knees.

Another thing we have noticed is her dancing. The fact that Abigail *does not* need music to dance is endearing to us: we figure she is literally marching to her own drum. But seriously, she loves to dance! And she does it well, too. Generally, she doesn't like to put on a show for strangers, but for mom and dad, she'll groove. She could be totally absorbed by her dolls or her stuffed animals or her cubes, and if there is music, she'll absentmindedly bust a move. We laugh quietly as her little butt moves to an fro, rhythmically, to the beat. If crawling the "normal" way, her butt will shake from side to side, like that of cat's getting ready to jump. I have been following her with a camera trying to immortalize the moment, unsuccessfully. When nothing else is distracting her, she'll dance with all of herself: her arms, hands, legs, head, butt - everything bobbing together as she laughs away. Here are a few clips that we were able to film, but she was aware that there was a camera... so she acted rather demure.

Another oddity: push buttons! Those are Abigail's favorite thing as of late. In the previous post you see Abbie pushing the mirror's button over and over and over again... well, she has an uncanny ability to recognize a button in just about any gadget. Let's not even mention phones, remotes and laptops: those are obsolete by now, although still holding some degree of appeal. I am talking fans, microwaves, clocks, car beepers, what have you. She will zoom in on that button, and press it! Fans turn on, microwaves beep, clock alarms go off in the middle of the night, cars unlock lock unlock lock unlock lock... She also loves to redial the last number on our home phone. And then she puts the call on speaker. All by herself. Luckily, when she has done that, it has been mostly her dad. But if you get a weird call from us, nothing but muffled giggles and squeals, don't hang up: it's Abbie.

Abigail, mind you, has a wild streak. She doesn't like her "baby." This poor doll I got her some time ago is taking so much abuse I am thinking about hiding it away. Abbie has a little stroller that we got for her "baby." We put the "baby" in the stroller, and Abigail will push it around for a walk, or at least, that's the idea. Seven times out of ten, Abigail yanks the "baby" off the stroller, throws it on the floor, and runs it over with the stroller. She'll attempt to run it over several times. Or, a variation, after dumping it on the floor she'll jump on it and bite it on the forehead. If the "baby" is on her swing, she'll do the same thing: yank it off, floor, bite. During the course of the day, after the "baby" has already suffered abuse and is lying abandoned on the floor, she might go back to it and bite it again for good measure. She grabs its head with both hands, looks at it square in the face, opens her mouth wide and slowly, deliberately, chomps down on the forehead.

Ahhh... Abbie, Abbie!

There will more oddities to come, the list is long, and the time is short. I smile as I think of all the weird things that make my Abbie so very mine.

They call me "The Crawling Monster", but I am actually "The Walking Type"

Well, slicing my thumb off my hand (almost) has stopped me from getting everyone updated on Abbie's progresses in life-research.
She is now crawling *BIG TIME*. She has started to go around and getting herself in all sorts of trouble! I am having a hard-time keeping up, you'll understand: I am no spring chicken. The little one is making me bite her dust alright! It is so funny to see her zip around, sometimes she still will creepy-crawl on her tummy: when she is worn out but still wants to go places. We had to childproof the electrical outlets in a fury, because that's the first thing she will go for. She has been opening the drawers in her room, getting her toy boxes out of the bookshelf. I often find her sitting up with both legs sticking out of the crib: somehow, even the bumpers can't keep her confined. I suspect she is trying to get out. She is still not able to get out of the crib, thanks heavens, so maybe she is trying to squeeze out. Fat chance, chubby baby!
Not only that, but since she has been pulling herself on a standing position, she has been trying to walk. When we play, she uses whatever part of me is handy (nose, ears, hair, knees) to get up, then she tries to move a few wobbly steps. I grabbed her by the hands, yesterday, and she moved several steps forward, and then started chirping oh so excited! She had the biggest smile on her face, and looked at me as if saying: "Did you JUST SEE THAT?!" She was just so proud of herself, and rightly so!
I am looking forward to all developments in the saga, but for now suffice to say that Miss Birdie is having the time of her life, so much so that naps are, again, drama time. She is shedding her morning nap already, they get shorter and shorter, and sooner or later they will just disappear. *Sigh*. I will miss that 1 1/2 hour of me-time, said the selfish mother.So, I am watching my little baby grow and soon she will be a "toddler". How did we get so far ahead in such a short time?!?

Standing up and The Affair of the Crawling

Life is unpredictable. Yesterday evening I was talking with my friend Katy about our kids, and she informed me that Little Miss Julia has been pulling herself to a standing position for a few days. While I though that was totally remarkable, I also felt that I am not ready for Abbie to do that, just yet... Don't ask me why. So, I felt relieved that I still don't have to worry about this phase. Visions of bumping heads, chewing on crib rails, pulling on shelves for support, and other unpleasant images popped in my head for a second, but quickly vanished together with my sigh of relief.
This morning, Little Miss Abigail decided to show me who's running the show, to dissipate any confusion. While we were playing on the big bed, she put her hands on me and got herself on a standing position! Just like that! I was aghast! I jumped up, grabbed her, and hugged her really tight! My little girl is standing up on her itty bitty self. She had the biggest grin on her face, and blew raspberries until she run out of steam. Today she held on to everything she could find, and got herself up. Over and over. When we were in the nursery, I had the radio on, and she started dancing while standing up and holding on to the chair! How cute!!!!
Also, I have noticed that when Abbie gets on her four to crawl, she sticks out one of her legs, to the side, and starts to push up, as if she were trying to get on her feet... She did it many times today, and while she hasn't figured out how it works, she has the basics down. She *almost* got herself up, once, but her little body is not strong enough yet. My goodness, I can't believe how fast she is growing. She will be nine months in 11 days, and in the same amount on time that she spent in my tummy, she has already developed into an independent, adventurous, curious, unstoppable little munchkin! She has changed so much! I miss the days when she was just this grunting, babbling little thing. But I am enjoying every step of the way, and how could I not: I'm in love!

Sitting up! -- And other alluring situations.

Sweet little Abbie gave me the most wonderful Mother's Day gift: she is getting herself to a sitting position from lying down all by her itty bitty self! She has been trying for the last couple of weeks and was actually successful (amid various grunts) even before today, many times... But this morning it was perfect! Effortless, gracious, just like second nature, one swift motion (or two). She is able to get herself in a sitting position from laying on her back as well as her tummy. Yay!! My fault entirely, that it has taken her so long: every single time I saw her trying, I would mindlessly help her and lift her up. I had to force myself in the last couple of days to *let her do her thing*! Sure enough, she pulled it off in a jiffy.
Then, the creepy-crawling is seriously getting out of control. I don't know *why*, exactly, I am still in denial about the fact that the little munchkin is able to get herself places... Just because she is not crawling a mile a second, doesn't mean that she is *not* crawling, right? She is going all over the house, I just cannot keep her confined anymore. Yesterday, she happily arrived to the electric outlets in her room, and today she started exploring the ones downstairs. I turn my head for a second, and she is already half way across the living room. Time for the stair gates, the electric outlet kiddie-proof plugs, and whatever else we need to safeguard Miss Curiosity. On top of it all, we have to lower the crib (should have already done it, really!!), since she has been trying to climb out of it. More often than not, when I go pick her up, her head is bobbing over the railing: she uses the bumpers to climb up, even though she cannot stand up yet. She also tries to climb out the bathing tub and the kiddie pool... Whew... Lots to do, things to buy, places to go, right, Abbie?
Yes, she definitely agrees.

Grouchy Abbie

Boy, what a day we had today. Abbie was a total GROUCH all day!!! She had the most incomprehensible crying fits: she'd cry for a few seconds, then would be just fine for a few more, then she'd start crying again and so forth. I have to admit, it was tough.
She slept poorly too. Only 2 half-hour naps, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, which did not help matters.
After a whole day of this, I was happy when her daddy got home. I outstretched my arms to him while holding her, and said "here you go!".
I love my little bug, but she was a pest today!!!! What I find interesting, though, is that in the afternoon she got on her fours, and held the pose for a while. Now, she has been... creeping around, not quite crawling. Oh, she is able to go places alright, scooting on her butt or on her tummy, but has never officially crawled, even though she has been trying hard. Today was the first time that she got herself up as if revving her engines, ready to go! It was exciting! I am sure that's the reason why she did not sleep well and was so unbearable. My little baby is working things out, and getting a firmer grasp on the things that she wants to do. As paradoxical as that might sound, it makes perfect sense for a baby: their world is ever changing, ever forming, and Abbie is just getting herself ready to discover even more! And I will be here, waiting for it to happen, and applauding her and cheering for her every step of the way. Even when she is a grouch.