Well, we've made it! We arrived in the world of baby mobilization. Matilda can officially roll all the way over...and over...and over...with no help at all! She finally conquered the tricky back-to-tummy move and ever since then has been rolling like a tumbleweed in a tornado. I mean, this girl can move!
So long, limitations!
So long, comfort of the boundaries of the playmat!
So long, mommy's sanity in being able to leave baby put!
Let the baracading begin!
Matilda's development seems to be skyrocketing by the day right now. I feel like I blink and she is figuring out something new. It is kind of a surreal experience having someone change right before your eyes - and yet, the progression is so subtle and so seamless that even when you know it is coming it still seems like a surprise!
Within a day or two she went from completely rolling over for the first time ever to mastering the art of 360s across the living room floor. Um, what? It was like she was a little boulder sitting at the top of a hill and once she finally figured out how to dislodge the wedge from underneath herself (that stubborn arm) - voila! Off she went!
I am so proud. To watch her do something that she had never done before - to see her face light up when I squealed with joyful response - well, it was awesome. She was eager to repeat the action as soon as daddy got home, and we continued to encore her performance, watching with proud amazement.
As proud of her as we are, however, neither Josh or I were too anxious to want her to explore the exercise of movement. In fact, I'm not sure who it is more of an adventure for - her or us? It's not that we didn't want to encourage her movement, but we know that it is just a stepping stone to things to come...things like walking! Things like getting into cabinets and bonking heads on coffee tables and chasing kitties!
Little does miss Matilda know that this little rolling action has opened the gateway of mobility...of expanding her horizons...and much to my chagrin, her ability to escape her mother. Even in this littlest of ways, her rolling over is a tiny reminder of how I have to let her go, let her grow, and let her learn for herself.
I know that as her mother I have years and years ahead of me of trying to master the balancing act of loving and letting, of control and compassion, of permission and perseverance. (Not that I'm anticipating ever coming to a point of complete mastering!) When to encourage her, when to cheer her on, when to let her just try and even allow her to fail with grace...and when to be there for her after the fall. It's a daunting task to think about and I'm glad I'm not alone on the journey! It's also exciting to think about all that's in store for Matilda - where this little roll will lead her...what path lies before her? I'm so thankful to be her mother and get to see this adorable creature conquer the ups and downs that life will present her.
I know that's getting ahead of myself a bit. I'm trying not to think about that too much...besides, there is too much happening in the present to worry about the future! Things like talking (she recently started saying "nay nay" very distinctly...I'm hopefuly it will quickly morph into "ma ma" somehow!) and eating (ah, the world of solids...that's for another blog entry coming soon) and many other changes in expression and laughter and wiggling...
Look out, world! Matilda is on the move.
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