Fast running out of ideas to entertain her little friend, Lily J whipped out her secret weapon: a green, sproingy ball thing with googly eyes that had been hiding in ElilyMommy’s Mary Poppinesque mommy bag.
Something like this.
It worked a charm. In the almost-dead silence – right when the fruit of the vine (grape juice) was being distributed in the middle of the Lord’s Supper, Arddun burst out laughing. She thought Mr Green Sproing was HALARIOUS. The rest of us, having spent most of worship up to that point trying to shush her muted baby gurgling, promptly gave up in a spate of silent giggles ourselves.
Gorgeous noise. Hysterical baby laughter: a burbling brook of excitement, a tremendous reminder that Life is full of wonderful discoveries, and that googly eyes are heaps funny – even for adults.
Did not catch it on video, given the context. So I’ve decided to cobble together a collection of Arddun’s other laughs, just so you might get the idea.
Laugh, and the world laughs with you, my baby girl.
A trial session at Gymbaroo left Mommy Group Sara and I with the knowledge that propping our babies up in the sitting position is bad, as babies need to learn to pull themselves to the sitting position as that is when they’re TRULY able to sit. Something about spinal development etc etc.
Whatever. I mean, the girl has been sitting in a high chair to consume her meals for the past 4 weeks, and she’s been hanging out in the Bumbo for longer. Nevertheless, as with all other baby advice, you do what you can and you close an eye if you think it’s all a bit hysterical.
But as with all advice, it meant that this nugget of information lurked about my subconscious for ages, so I’ve stopped using the Bumbo except for occasional meals, and I’ve completely left Arddun to her own sitting devices. In other words, I’ve not pulled her into a sitting position then let go so she could sit and balance on her own. Either she’s in my lap fully supported, or she’s on her back/front on the floor.
In other words, we’ve left her to learn to sit fully unassisted.
Today, it happened. As if to show us a magic trick she had been practising secretly during “bedtime” (and I really wouldn’t put it past her to do that), she sat in her playpen and with eyes never leaving us, with a mouth curved open in triumph, she pulled herself into a full sitting position. Balanced buttocks and everything. And stayed there for 20 seconds, perfectly nonchalant.
TAKE A PHOTO! TAKE A PHOTO! TAKE A PHOTO! TAKE A PHOTO!
"Look, Daddy and Mummy! NO HANDS!"All hanging toys now within munching distance
We looked fondly at her. All sitting up proper, like ’em babies in those daytime commercials. But within a minute – we kid you not – she reached over to the grills, grabbed them with both hands, and proceeded to try and stand up.
I was so gobsmacked with her audacity, I forgot to take a video or a photo. Tony reckons she’s reached the sitting milestone and needs a new challenge. Whatever. Crawl before you stand and run, child. I’ve only just gotten used to pulling you out from under sofas, beds and cabinets.
Finding The Happy 