Most people who know me will laugh at the title of this blog! Me? Stubborn??? YOU BET! You wouldn't think that at only 6 months old a little baby could harbor some stubborn qualities now would you? Our Miss. Natalie will PROVE it is possible. And, for arguments sake I like to think of her stubborn qualities, if she did in fact get them from me, as more of being "strong willed." :-) That sounds much nicer doesn't it?
I've been asked AT LEAST 6 times in the past week if my little daughter is crawling! Random lady at Lowe's over the weekend, several at Aiden's school, my sweet Mother-in-law....and while they all mean well when they inquire they have no idea that as her Mother I am going crazy with the fact that she JUST WONT DO IT! I am a perfectionist by nature and I think Aiden got some of that from me, but, I am starting to think of Natalie as more of a 'free spirit, crazy, I'll do what I want-type!" I realize that is extreme as she is just 6 months old, and I do say that jokingly.
In the past three or so week's I've found myself saying to Rob, "Aiden was crawling already...", "We've got to work on her more...", "Why isn't she crawling!" I feel like I've done, and am doing my part...I give her ample tummy time, I put toys ahead of her to entice her movement, I lay in front of her, beside her, I try and move her body for her...SHE just has not made the decision to crawl, budge, or even really try. I know several people who have 6 month old babies that ARE on the move...why is mine not?
So today I stopped and thought about my childhood, and how many times Mother would get upset with me about something. I can remember really struggling in math and having to have tutors for years to help me. I can remember arguing with her from a very young age about it, and I can remember her asking me why I just was not getting it.(talk about a perfectionist! She was me times about 20) No, Natalie is not learning her times tables, or how to divide...but, it is the same principal from a parental angle. (she was doing the right thing in helping me advance my math skills), but her fault in my opinion was asking me why I was not getting it. It is not that I chose to not learn math at an above average level at that time, but that I just was not grasping concepts yet. If I could have learned it well I would have...there was just something missing for me. I am certain she was thinking the same things I am "I know other kids who are getting it...why isn't she?"
I am certain Natalie would be crawling if she were ready, but, right now she just is not. It is my job to do all I can to encourage her, and give her the opportunity to crawl...but, it is not something I can force on her. She will do it when she can and is ready. It is a hard balance as a parent...we always want our children to be THE BEST, THE FIRST, THE MOST INTELLIGENT...I struggle with that greatly. I am notorious for having Aiden recite his memory verse for the week about a billion times! I want him to get it perfect! I am still trying so hard to find that balance.
So, this week...instead of focusing on the fact that I cannot get my Miss. Natalie to budge, I am instead going to be grateful she has a strong-will :-)
I've been asked AT LEAST 6 times in the past week if my little daughter is crawling! Random lady at Lowe's over the weekend, several at Aiden's school, my sweet Mother-in-law....and while they all mean well when they inquire they have no idea that as her Mother I am going crazy with the fact that she JUST WONT DO IT! I am a perfectionist by nature and I think Aiden got some of that from me, but, I am starting to think of Natalie as more of a 'free spirit, crazy, I'll do what I want-type!" I realize that is extreme as she is just 6 months old, and I do say that jokingly.
In the past three or so week's I've found myself saying to Rob, "Aiden was crawling already...", "We've got to work on her more...", "Why isn't she crawling!" I feel like I've done, and am doing my part...I give her ample tummy time, I put toys ahead of her to entice her movement, I lay in front of her, beside her, I try and move her body for her...SHE just has not made the decision to crawl, budge, or even really try. I know several people who have 6 month old babies that ARE on the move...why is mine not?
So today I stopped and thought about my childhood, and how many times Mother would get upset with me about something. I can remember really struggling in math and having to have tutors for years to help me. I can remember arguing with her from a very young age about it, and I can remember her asking me why I just was not getting it.(talk about a perfectionist! She was me times about 20) No, Natalie is not learning her times tables, or how to divide...but, it is the same principal from a parental angle. (she was doing the right thing in helping me advance my math skills), but her fault in my opinion was asking me why I was not getting it. It is not that I chose to not learn math at an above average level at that time, but that I just was not grasping concepts yet. If I could have learned it well I would have...there was just something missing for me. I am certain she was thinking the same things I am "I know other kids who are getting it...why isn't she?"
I am certain Natalie would be crawling if she were ready, but, right now she just is not. It is my job to do all I can to encourage her, and give her the opportunity to crawl...but, it is not something I can force on her. She will do it when she can and is ready. It is a hard balance as a parent...we always want our children to be THE BEST, THE FIRST, THE MOST INTELLIGENT...I struggle with that greatly. I am notorious for having Aiden recite his memory verse for the week about a billion times! I want him to get it perfect! I am still trying so hard to find that balance.
So, this week...instead of focusing on the fact that I cannot get my Miss. Natalie to budge, I am instead going to be grateful she has a strong-will :-)