not abandoned...

I realize that the last few pictures and video clips have all featured Eole on the playmat. In case you think I carelessly abandon my baby to live out her days on the mat, I have posted the below clip to prove you wrong: I also abandon my baby to her bouncy seat. I figure since we've been slow at learning to crawl, maybe we should just go ahead and get a head start on walking, right? So bouncy seat it is. She has recently discovered the beloved turtle on the bouncy seat. Let the below clip be a warning to all you bald turtles, or bald turtle-looking folks. You might want to stay clear of our baby girl for a while.

scooting along

I received some concerned emails and messages about Eole's delayed motor skills, so I am happy to report that we are finally begining to chug along. While we are still not really great at rolling from our tummy to our back, we have, in one short week, become a pro, or at least a semi-pro, at rolling from our back to our tummy. And while we aren't attempting to crawl on our hands and knees, we are very good at scooting around on our back. In fact, a couple of times now I have put Eole on her playmat and only mintues later, I find that she has scooted off the mat and under one of our rocking chairs (see clip below). I'm not sure what fascinates her about this secret world of "underchair." Is it the fact that Mommy and Daddy are forbidden access? Is she now considering a career working under car chassis?

attempting to roll...

... attempting to rollover on our playmat we had an unfortunate collapsing incident. No babies were harmed, however.

the silver lining

Eole had her 6 month appointment with the doctor last week where it was confirmed that she takes after her mom's side of the family. In other words, she is "severely deficient in her gross motor skills." She should be rolling all over the place and sitting on her own. I thought rolling counted if you whipped the blanket out from under her; apparently it doesn't. We all know where this is going to lead: having a mortal fear of P.E. and being picked last for all sports teams. Yes, it's a tough reality that I am passing on to my offspring. But where there is weakness in one area, nature will compensate with a strength in another. Eole is very verbally advanced. I think we all remember that she said her first phrase (not even first word, mind you, but a whole phrase) when she was 2 weeks old: "ohhhh gollly." Now we have moved on to "dummmmb maaaa" Dumb Ma? Well, I'll take what I can get. She also likes to interrupt mommy and daddy's conversations with her own opinion on the topic: "blah, blah, blah, blah-" which is even said in that exasperated tone of a bored teenager. Daddy's afraid that, although smart as a whip, our girl will be so weak that she'll be forever confined to a wheelchair or crutches. He thinks we have mollycoddled her by holding her too much. This is what he says everyday as he interrupts tummy time to cuddle his baby girl.