1 Mother 2 Another

Boppy use number sixty two:

Sitting-practice bumper!

Madeleine’s so eager to be upright.  Give her your thumbs while she’s lying down, and she’ll pull herself up to standing, stiff-legging it so she hinges up like a mummy.  On the advice of our pediatrician and a physical therapist who’s an expert in a child’s physical development, we’re trying to avoid having her take her own weight on her legs for a while, so we support her while she “stands.”  But you can see in her face: why lie when she can sit, and why sit when she can stand with all the big people?

She’s not sitting upright unassisted; she balances precariously for a few seconds, then topples over.  But she loves to “practice” in our laps, leaning against knees, or squatting on the bed where I let her fall over and try to sit back up.  Today for the first time I grabbed her boppy and put it around her like a farthingale on the floor.  She’s tall enough in it that she’s pretty independent, but can wobble like a Weeble and not fall down.  She’s quite a sight to see; incredibly happy with her accomplishment of remaining upright, she smiles with glee and cackles with delight, her arms stretched out on either side for balance like wings.  She teeters to one side, pushes herself back up, and smiles bigger.  I sit in front of her, guarding the unprotected side, but she’s caught herself every time before I need to intervene.  I’m simply amazed at how quickly she learns and grows.  She is such a joy to be with.