Firsts for the second





The baby has had a busy couple of weeks. Not just because we're getting ready to move, or because her crawling skills have enabled her to cause mischief anywhere in the house not higher than three feet off the ground, but because she's been checking off milestones like I check off my grocery list. Let's begin with the tooth.

Life must just be a lot better for babies when there's not a tooth working its way through their gums. I remember with Kalina wondering how people knew when their child was teething, until they could feel the tooth, at least. But with Elise, I no longer wonder. Here are the signs:

1.) The baby cries, sucks her thumb and reaches up to be held all at the same time, every waking moment.
2.) The baby sleeps worse, whatever that means.
3.) The baby chews everything.
4.) The baby cries even while stuffing her mouth full of peaches, her favorite fruit, because it irritates her gums. And then cries for every other kind of food, too. And your high hopes of actually getting her to eat meat are dashed once again.
5.) The baby seems happy for a grand total of 30 minutes a day. For Daddy.
6.) The baby does better after the, "Hmm, nothing else works so maybe this will help!" dose of ibuprofen.

Elise got her first tooth a week or so ago. She returned to her usual forecast of "sunshine" the next day. She got her next tooth yesterday. And was sunny again today. I'm told there will be more.

Fortunately, Elise's mouth isn't all trouble. In fact, we're pretty sure she's been saying "Mama," and not just by chance. It usually happens when she's teething, or something equally tragic, and she needs me to make it all better. In fact, I don't think we've yet had the type of "Mama" that implies, "I just cleaned up after myself at the table!" or even, "Look, I'm playing with a toy that's not forbidden for once!" No, in fact the word is almost always accompanied by sobs. "Fix it, Mama!" Nevertheless, I will take it, and chalk it up to her first word.

I believe it's been a week or two since Elise first started clapping, but I was trying to teach her sign language at the same time and it could've instead been her attempt at signing "more." Which would make sense, because it seems that the first few times it happened, she was eating some sort of fruit or other deliciousness. But she also may have just been applauding, "Yay, I love peaches!" or something to that effect.

In the past couple days, however, the baby has clapped for at least one of her own accomplishments (possibly her peekaboo prowress, or taking a bite of chicken, but I regrettably don't remember exactly) and I believe even one of Kalina's, following my lead. She's most likely to clap with fists than open palms, but she does make contact and is quite cute.

And finally, Elise took her first step this afternoon, and another this evening! Hooray, Elise!

The bad news is that Little Miss Spaghetti Legs is nowhere near ready to walk. Even fully supported by my helping hands, the baby often does little more than flop her way around the house. But that's not to say she's not improving--she is, and she's practicing a lot, too. Her progression has been a bit unconventional, however. Here's how it's gone:

1. Pushing into a fully balanced standing position from the floor.
2. Standing next to a piece of furniture, letting go and balancing.
3. Walking floppily, but proudly, with lots of help.
4. Attempting to walk up stairs with help, but with me making her crawl instead because it just doesn't seem right.
5. Jumping with no help whatsoever (just mini jumps, but they count!), and without falling over afterward. On command, no less.
6. Taking a shaky, but real, step toward Mommy, unsupported, to show me a cool new toy.
7. Doing it again, perfectly balanced, without even falling into my arms afterward. But not taking another one.

I'm left a bit puzzled as to how and when Elise will be following her big sister around the house on foot, but I would imagine the baby will get her land legs not by doing laps with Mommy, but by treating each step as an individual and focusing on quality rather than quantity. One thing's for sure: the baby has a really good sense of balance.

I have, by the way, wondered if I'd get as excited about Elise's firsts as I have for Kalina's. Yes, I do. Not only is each of them different from her older sister's (walking couldn't possibly be more different, in fact), but Elise just beams with pride each time she does something new. Except, possibly, pop a new tooth in. In those cases, she's smiling with relief--as are the rest of us.