Walking

You know, according to meticulously kept baby books, Knut walked at 13 months. I walked at 13 months. Silje walked at 13 months, and David walked at 13 months. Elias, well…that remains to be seen.

This boy is full of surprises. Since he came 4 weeks early, and hit every other milestone 1 month later than the other kids, I figured he’d walk around 14 months.

He’s past his 15 month birthday now, and not a step closer.

I’ve heard it called “third child syndrome” and my doctor doesn’t seem worried about it, as it seems as though he could walk, but sees no reason to. He has at his fingertips many servants (Lena probably most of all. OK…that’s not true. I totally spoil him.) who will fetch for him whatever he desires. He has an older brother and sister who will entertain him, and play with him. Who needs to walk with such a life?

I find that with each of my children, I experience a different dimension of parenting. With Silje, I got such a big head. This child put herself on a schedule. She did thing early or on time. Everything about her from coming right on her due date, to her by the book delivery, to walking and speaking, etc. has been what every parents hopes. I could not sympathize with parents whose babies would cry and cry and cry. I would think “they don’t know their baby’s cues! When Silje cries, it’s for a good reason, and I just had to learn to read her cues!”

I would think “why don’t they just put their baby on a schedule, and make life more simple?” Why would a parent ever bring a child out late, push them past their limits, incurring public meltdowns. Have a schedule. Stick to it. Read their cues. I was a A.W.E.S.O.M.E.

Then came David…

David cried for no reason. A lot. He screamed whenever Knut held him. If he was sleeping and I handed him to Knut, David would wake up and scream. It’s not like Knut had never held a baby before and didn’t know what to do. David would not go on a schedule. He might have, if I didn’t have a 15 month old running around and not letting him eat for more than 5 minutes at a time. As a toddler, he defined “strong willed” and that doesn’t seem to be slacking yet.

I mean, before David gets a bad rap, let me say he’s sweet, and compassionate, and eager to please. He’s insanely athletic, and has a servants heart. But let’s be real…that boy has a will of iron.

God’s going to do great things with that… He better.

Then there’s Elias. O, Elias. Coming not on time. My water broke with him, initiating labor, which never happened with the other 2 unless a dr. broke it for me just before they were out. He’s had some minor health issues, but much more than the other 2 have had to deal with, put together. Elias is laid back, but more clingy than the other 2 ever were. I blame his hospital stays for that. I’ve had so so few sleep issues with him. Literally since birth, I’ll lay him down, and he’ll quietly close his eyes and drift off. What baby does that? I had never heard of one.

His timetable doesn’t remotely touch my other kids. I remember being so eager for Silje to walk. Then I remember hoping David wouldn’t walk so soon, but he did, and life got busy. So I haven’t been really working with Elias intensely on this until these last few weeks.

It’s not logical. I mean, mobile babies is a tough stage for me. He’s mobile, but starting down that walking road and that’s really mobile. There’s something in me that desires him to measure up. To do his thing. Seriously, having a passive child like this after a child like David is quite the switch. Neither is right or wrong. I guess I should say that each is right, because each is acting in accordance with God’s design. But still…I’m starting to feel like one of those moms that I used to pseudo-comfort in my probably patronizing “I have a perfect little girl” way by saying, “Your baby will walk in his own time. These things aren’t scheduled. Babies don’t read those books.” And other very true statements.

But seriously…we’re going on 16 months now, and he still won’t do that little walking while holding onto mommy/daddy’s fingertips thing. I mean, he walks around furniture, but not with ease, and certainly not very quickly. He does like climbing stairs probably too much, though, and he crawls like crazy. He’s a speedy crawler.

I’m not worried. I’m so not worried, but I’m starting to get impatient. I mean, come on here, Elias. You get an extra month because you came a month early. We’ll grant you that. At the level you’re at now, though, I don’t see you walking even at 16 months. We’ll shoot for 17 months.

It’s amazing how God makes them all so different…isn’t it?