Elyse is a little "behind" for her age....at least I think anyway. She is a little over 8 months old and doesn't crawl, scoot or go from being down to sitting up on her own. She can go from sitting up to getting down but not the reverse. She loves to stand but can't do much once she's up there and can't get there on her own. Other babies her age are doing much, much more and I am normally not one to compare because I realize different kids reach different milestones at different times and it will be this way her entire childhood. However, lately I've noticed what one of the culprits may be. When she's standing and she is about to fall but catches herself or if she thinks there is a possibility she may fall she gets upset and panics. She doesn't even fall but the thought of it is just so scary to her and she flails her little arms. A few times when she has fallen and landed softly onto her diapered little behind she gets upset as well. She isn't hurt and she probably got to where she wanted to be anyway, yet this still upsets her. I find all of this a little odd because I see other babies so fearlessly taking on the world attaining bumps, scratches and bruises without so much as flinching as they ruthlessly explore their surroundings. Elyse seems to be a bit of a fraidy cat and she is definitely shy and timid in her exploring.

I didn't think I would see so much personality in her so young. I was one of those who just figured "babies are babies, how different can they be". Was I ever wrong. Matt and I were both very shy as kids so maybe a portion of it can be attributed to genetics. Either way there is just something so sweet and innocent about it but at the same time a little worrisome for me. She's small for her age, quiet and doesn't even flinch when things are snatched from her grasp by other kids, she just calmly looks for something else. Being just like this as a child I got "walked on" a bit and I don't want that for her. As I was thinking about this I realized I was flailing my arms over something that hadn't even happened yet. She isn't being picked on. She is a happy little girl. I had buck teeth, glasses, was shy and had a "weird" name. As much as being picked on for those things shaped me, I somehow want to spare her from that and I know I can't. I just hope I'll have the wisdom to teach her how to handle those situations as they arise. For right now I'll just remind myself not to worry ahead or panic when I haven't even fallen, and who knows, whatever I find on the ground just might be worth it.