balance and change

1) My daughter tried to climb out of her crib. I suppose I should say she did climb out, but that's only partially true, as once she got her leg slung over the rail she fell on her head. I was in the kitchen at the time, which is directly below her bedroom, and the thump-boom completely freaked me out. I thought maybe the crib had broken. When I got to her room she was standing on her feet, her mouth wide open in a full wail. I sat her down on my lap (completely abandoning the baby downstairs on the floor of the family room) and held her awhile. The crying would slow, then start up again as she remembered. She said she landed on the top of her head, which I kissed repeatedly, and also said she wasn't going to try again to climb out of the crib. At one point she looked up at me and said, "somersault!" It had to scare her to death. That was four days ago and she, true to her word, hasn't tried it again. Will see. I'd like to keep her in the crib as long as I can, but maybe we'll have to go to a toddler bed...

2) My son can stand! Well, he can pull himself into a standing position. He, of course, has no balance, so he still needs me to keep him from tipping over. But still! He looks hard at what he's holding onto, concentrates, and then tests letting go with one hand, then the other. It's a slow movement, a slow motion grasp, ungrasp. It's unbearably cute. He's much braver than Frances was, though I have trouble remembering much about what Frances was like. (it's funny how it leaves you--I guess your brain just moves onto the next thing, or maybe you're so overcome by the whole experience that you can't hang onto it for long...)

They are both going through the most massive developmental changes right now--it's amazing to watch. It's like I can see Clark's brain making all kinds of connections, like the electricity is glinting through his lack of hair. And Frances too--her changes are less physical and more emotionally developmental. For example, Clark has had a cold and I've had to suction him in the mornings. He hates it and screams like he's dying, and this perplexes Frances. I mean, usually when she makes Clark cry she has to go to time out, but here mom is making him cry on purpose. Afterwards she helpfully gets him his paci (which he still won't suck on but does play with and enjoy). Yesterday while he was sitting on the family room floor playing with a toy, she got out a pretend syringe from her medical kit and aimed it at his mouth. She said, "Here's your medicine, Baby Clarky. No cry. No cry, Baby Clarky." He looks at her star struck. LOVES her. Just loves his sister. Seeing that look on his face, and seeing her try to comfort him makes it all worthwhile.