Grasping at Air

Grace keeps getting stronger day by day. I can see in her eyes that she wants to jump up and run around the room shouting, "Look at me, look at me! I'm not a baby anymore!" For now she is still my baby, but is making strides to that day.

Today, in between butt scoots across the floor, we practiced standing. I think it is the cognitive ability to figure out balance that is standing in her way. Her legs hold her. She can stand with her hands on the couch, the majority of her weight on her legs, and just a parental hand under her butt for help with the balance.

We let her ease down when the legs give out. She gets mad. Really mad. Immediately screeching for assistance in standing up again. Which we oblige of course.

I get weekly updates from BabyCenter.com about her. I signed up for emails while pregnant to keep up with the developments going on inside me that I couldn't see. It is amazing to know when finger nails and eye lashes are being formed.

The emails kept coming for post-natal development too. She is now 9 months 3 weeks. At 12 months she stops being categorized as an infant. The emails will keep coming, giving development generalizations and age appropriate games to play, but they will no longer be "baby games."

I know the best games are yet to come. Ones where she can solve problems and make choices, but I am so infatuated with the baby stages that I don't want it to end.

I guess I will just hope that in the last moments of the day, when the sun meets the earth, she will always lean into me with all her weight truly needing me like she does now.