Colin has started the process of walking. A few people have congratulated me/us on his walking and I must say, he isn't truly a walker yet. The biggest walking achievements have been:
step, step (lose balance, regain balance on his own) step, step.
and
step, step, step, step, step... fall. (this one we've had a few times)
He is now a professional cruiser. "Cruising" is when babies walk around the room holding on to furniture for balance. Normally, it's just furniture they grasp onto for dear life. Colin has taken to cruising the walls. I saw it for the first time this morning and I was overwhelmed with both laughter and pride. He looks just like a rock-climber. His hands are mostly above his head; for those of you who climb, he is truly "bouldering" the walls.
I digress. The purpose of this post is to say that I am, with complete knowledge, ignoring the American Academy of Pediatrics (gods to all things healthy for babies and kids). So, about two weeks ago Brian and I were at our wits end. It's true that with each new stage an old stage ends so it is bitter sweet. Colin is practically a walker which is exciting, but that means he is closer to a toddler and part of me wants my (ah-hem) little baby back. What I have just described is a normal parent reaction to growth and development. Alternatively, two weeks ago Brian and I were at the end of our ropes, growling at each other and Colin. "Just WALK Colin!" Why? Because the child is a diva. He was NOT. AT. ALL. happy unless someone was holding his hands so he could walk all around the house. Beck and call, beck and call. If we were not bent over (sore lower backs for both of us) holding his little, chubby hands so he could walk he would just sit, and whine, and cry and cry. UGH!
I am no cave woman. I have been around the baby block. I have heard that walkers are a big no, no. But on a Tuesday morning, just before I was going to self-destruct, I texted Brian at work: I AM GOING TO BUY A F*@KING WALKER! And his response: GREAT. IDEA. And so, E, C and I jumped in the car and drove to the closest Toys R Us and bought the most simple (read: cheapest) walker they had.
We have no stairs in our condo, so that part of the walker risk is not an issue. And I must say, since we have purchased the walker I have said on more than one occasion, 'This was the best 30 bucks we ever spent!' Colin loves his wheels. He is now able to get to almost every part of the house (he even figured out how to get through doorways and how to reverse, turn around and go the other way). But, today I received the weekly update from BabyCenter, "Your 9 month old, Week 2" and it was all about the danger of walkers. You know, the usual-- besides being a likely vehicle of death in some freak walker accident, they will also stunt your baby's ability to walk normally. The AAP recommends never using walkers, ever.
NOOOOOO!
Ignorance is bliss. Why did I have to open that e-mail?! Why do parents have to be so in-the-loop these days? Will it really be so bad if he learns to walk one-legged or with a strange limp? We have Blue Cross Blue Shield so if he accidentally reaches speeds of 2 or 3 mph and crashes into the side of the coffee table and rolls his wheels, well the ER is only a few miles away, right?
Ugh. What to do, what to do?
So, I have decided.... Well, ok, I have developed the excuse that since Colin was so close to walking when we introduced him to his set of wheels, it will probably be ok. I mean, would you take away this bliss:
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