Up!

Remember this?

Remember when Claire was so small, so helpless?

Now, we have this:

And this:

And this:

I’m not setting her up there, folks. A few days ago, Claire could not pull herself up. She loved if Neal or I would stand her up at the coffee table in the living room so that she could hit it like a drum, and she would even occasionally take a few steps to the side, holding onto the table – although I’m not sure if she fully realized she was moving herself. Then, all of a sudden, I was getting her clothes out one morning, turned around, and saw that she had pulled herself up at her bookcase, to which I yelled, “Don’t fall!” while I ran to get the camera.

After that came a few hours where she didn’t pull herself up at all, as though she completely forgot how she had done it, but while she was home with Neal that evening while I ran some errands, she started pulling herself up on the coffee table.

It freaks me out, people. All of these changes, taking place in twelve short months, the emerging – no, exploding – independence I see in her… It just blows my mind. Soon (maybe) she will be walking, and for some reason, that freaks me out more than when she rolled over, or learned how to sit up by herself, or learned to crawl. I guess I feel like all of those things offer her enough independence, and save my arms and back and shoulders from carrying her everywhere, that she can, y’know, slow down.

And what’s funny is that I’m okay and not shocked anymore when I see her standing at the table, or at her exersaucer. But then she’ll find some new spot to pull herself up, and I just stop in my tracks and stare at her for a second. I went downstairs to put some laundry on this morning, and when I came back up, she was standing at the gate. Then I stepped into the living room while she was in the kitchen, and I turned around, and somehow she had used the cupboard or maybe even her growing leg strength to do this:

And even with only one hand!

And I think we’re going to have to lower the crib mattress down again – to the LAST option (which means I’ll be bringing the foot stool in so I can get my daughter in and out of her crib. Yes, I know, haha, I’m short).

Sigh.

And just to make me feel better and remind myself that although she is growing up so quickly, she is still my sweet little baby:

Because all kids look tiny again when they’re sleeping and sucking on their thumbs.