The great escape

August 12, 2015

Places I’ve retrieved my baby from this week, after I turned my back for a fraction of a millisecond:

Baby moving

1) Looking back cheekily from halfway up the stairs, about a million times

2) Sitting happily inside a shelving unit playing with some books. See also; sitting happily inside the shower tray playing with the shampoo

3) Perched up on the sofa, tapping away at my laptop, having used me as a human climbing frame

4) Making a beeline for anything slightly unsafe including plug sockets, iPhone chargers and drinks balanced anywhere near the edge of a table

5) Heading in the direction of all her sister’s things…shortly followed by a wail from her sister.

Baby movement is a such a great set of milestones, isn’t it? Crawling, standing, cruising, climbing. But when they start moving with intent  it’s a massive, massive game changer. As soon as they realise they can move to actually get to places, or use their new climbing skills to get their tiny paws on all those deliciously tempting things – that’s when they’re off.

Last time this happened we lived in a flat. Now we’re in a three storey house with steps up and down all over the place. And a baby who’s all over it in a heartbeat. My life is currently a repeat of find, follow, retrieve…and it’s fun but pretty bloody exhausting.

And when you’re a second-time-mum you already know the direction they’re travelling in at this point. Once they’re on the move like this they’re crawling rapidly past the signpost marked ‘baby’ and taking giant metaphorical steps towards the one that says ‘toddler’. And ultimately towards the big flashing neon one in the distance that says ‘growing up.’ 

I know it’s far away, but slow down, you tiny amazing determined thing, there’s no rush.

Anyone else have a baby on a one-way mission to mayhem?

More posts…milestones from the first six months, baby milestone cards for mums and an open letter to sleep.

 

11 Comments

  • Sarah Rooftops

    August 12, 2015 at 10:22 am

    Mine (16 weeks) is trying very, very, very hard to crawl. She’s so frustrated – I feel so bad for her. Then yesterday we went to messy play and there were children running around – oh, the hunger in her eyes!

  • Eleanor

    August 12, 2015 at 2:23 pm

    The book case thing! Tibbs used to empty a book case with such gay abandon I never wanted to stop her. And the stairs. It’s a wonder we all don’t weigh six stone from all the running we do up them to fetch babies!

  • Kathryn (@KatGotTheCream)

    August 14, 2015 at 10:16 am

    Aww, remember this stage well. It’s so lovely to see them exploring and getting into mischief a bit but yes exhausting too. I remember turning my back for a second and finding one of my babes covered in Sudocrem! xx

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    August 14, 2015 at 1:20 pm

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  • Lottie :: Oyster & Pearl

    August 14, 2015 at 8:48 pm

    Love this post! My two are 5 and 8 and still love to hide in racks of clothing when we go to the shops!

  • Jodie

    August 15, 2015 at 9:22 am

    P3 is climbing too. They’re just too teeny to understand the dangers. I’m on edge constantly.

  • this is lemonade

    August 17, 2015 at 9:24 am

    Mine is at a very similar stage right now! Our kitchen dining area is adjoining the playroom (well, what used to be just the sitting room lol). Trying to prepare her meals without hemming her in is a challenge because she wants to be where mummy is and watch me use the stove. We’re giving up and putting a gate across the playroom doorway as baby #2 is halfway on their way too!

    1. gillian

      September 14, 2015 at 8:45 am

      It’s just so hard to get anything done, isn’t it? I do love this age but it is slightly challenging. Oh and congratulations, how are you feeling? x

  • fritha

    August 19, 2015 at 4:39 pm

    I was a 13 month old the other day I had totally forgot how exhausting they are! Also how speedy and into everything , it reminded me how in some ways 3 is very much easier.. x

  • Laura

    August 19, 2015 at 11:45 pm

    Mine is not nearly as mobile as your little one but he has started to crawl, especially towards his brothers Duplo and he is determined to get going which I am so not ready for.

    Laura x

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    September 10, 2015 at 3:10 pm

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