Ben's Walking Progress

Emily was a very early walker. She took her first steps at 9 months 1 week. It didn't take long before she was walking everywhere. Sam started walking at 10 1/2 months and by 11 months he was walking exclusively.

But Ben has been a different story. He is now 1 year and almost 2 weeks but is still crawling. He can cruise along while holding onto the wall or furniture. He can push a walker toy with no problems, but he has no desire to walk.

This really bothered Brad for awhile. Mostly because from a doctor's point of view he should be walking by one year old. It hasn't bothered me because I can justify that he is just a heck of a lot fatter than Emily and Sam (he already weighs more than what they weighed at 2 years old or older). He is very content crawling. It definitely hasn't slowed him down; he plunders like a maniac.

But since the weather turned somewhat decent for Minnesota, Ben is dying to go outside and play. As soon as the door opens, he bolts for the door. The kids have to quickly shut it or he's out of the gates crawling at record speed. So why don't I let him out? Well, it really bothers me to see him crawl on the cement (he hates being on the grass). Why? I'll explain:

1. It ruins his cute little fake Robeez's shoes.
2. It makes his pants so dirty and dusty.
3. I'm afraid he is going to wear out the knees in his pants before he grows out of them.
4. I hate seeing his hands on the cement. I have this weird tactile phobia (I hate touching certain things) and to see his hands touching the cement really makes me want to wash my hands and smother them with lotion and file my nails. I know-it is crazy.

Call me strange and a freaky planner but one reason all my children have been born in the spring is because I figure they should learn to crawl and walk during the winter so by spring/summer they should be walkers. This makes summer time much more fun. The thought of a crawling baby at the beach or the park gives me heart palpation's? I figure if they are walking, there is less chance of sand, dirt, bugs, and/or rocks in their mouths.

So everyday Ben and I have walking practice. I hold him and try to get him to take a few steps towards Emily or I have him stand up against the couch and try to get him to come to me. He generally takes one step then falls toward me giggling. But today we were practicing in the kitchen and I stood him up against the dishwasher and had him walk toward me. It was the same as usual. But then I was holding him and he was facing the dishwasher and suddenly he took one, two, three, four and five little steps all so he could press the buttons on the dishwasher. Well, I of course cheered, hugged, and kissed him and made him do it again, and again, and again. Generally the buttons on the dishwasher are off limits but hey, if this is what gives him motivation then by all means walk and press away (I'm sure I'll regret that later).

Maybe he will be walking soon, but until then, I'll still cringe every time he crawls on the cement. Lotion anyone?