I'm Still Standing

Last weekend, Anna learnt how to stand... completely independently! For the past few weeks, she has been very close to doing it. Anna would let go of whatever it was that she was holding and stand on her own but, as soon as she realised that she wasn't holding anything, she would fall down due to lack of confidence. However, Anna now knows that she can do it without falling so stands in the middle of the room with a very proud look on her face.

There is no more sitting around all day. Anna is constantly on her feet. At her music class yesterday, Anna refused to sit down for the whole lesson as she wanted to show off her new found skills... and make sure every adult and baby in that room noticed her! When the attention turned to the music teacher, who was reading a story (complete with sound effects and accompanying instruments), Anna felt the attention was focused on the wrong person so crawled over to the teacher, stood up in front of her and faced her audience (completely obscuring the view of the teacher so that all the babies had to look at her.) She then waved her hands about in mid-air, as if to say 'Look at me, no hands, no hands'

As well as the proud look that Anna displays while standing independently, Anna's face is also one of determination and sheer frustration at the same time. She looks down at her feet as if to say 'just move!' but her feet just don't want to lift off the ground. She wants to take that first small step but there is something in her mind that just won't let her. Again, I think it is a confidence thing. Physically, she can do it as she has even progressed to running with her wooden trolley, but she just feels the need to have something there is hold on to whilst she is walking, whether it may be her trolley, train or Mummy's leg.

Hopefully one day soon, I will be able to write that Anna is walking. Then, Anna really will look like the cat that has got the cream, there will be 2 very proud parents (acting as though Anna is the first baby to ever achieve such a wonderful thing as we phone everyone we have ever met, in order to tell them!) and I will hopefully stop having a bad back!