We just returned from our bi-annual family get together in Mexico. It was our first opportunity to meet Katalin our 8 month old niece. Watching her giggle and smile brought back fond and not-so-fond memories of Molly when she was much smaller.
One of the things that made (and still makes) Molly special is she’s not content being little. She’s always wanted to be more like the big kids: stop taking naps before she was 2, play on the jungle gym for 5-7 year olds, and climb the rock wall at REI like the 9 year old girl. (Who I just couldn’t capture on film, because she was too agile and quick. All the photos were blurry.) It makes for one frustrated kid.
Morning in Newburyport
One Saturday morning in July of 2006, Molly and I were playing in her room while Anna slept off one of her more wild nights (you know how she is). Molly decided this just wouldn’t do; so she crawled out of her room and down the hall to our bedroom.
Although she was disappointed at first that Anna wasn’t awake, Molly didn’t let that stop her. She crawled into the room making enough racket that Anna didn’t stand a chance — although, truth be told, Anna sleeps with ear plugs in because someone in the next apartment snores.
Trouble Brewing
Now that Katalin is starting to push up, crawling won’t be far behind. I don’t envy Bob and Aileen. Although I always said I couldn’t wait for Molly to become mobile and start talking, I know we weren’t prepared for her crawling when it started.
These photos don’t do Molly’s crawling justice. By this point, Molly had been crawling for most of a month: she was bloody fast. One minute she’d be farting or making disgusting gurgling noises (neither of which she learned from me — I taught her to blow raspberries when she was two) on the mat in her room, the next minute she’d be halfway down the hall.
Of course, Bob and Aileen live in Texas. So they’re probably adept with a lasso and Katalin won’t stand a chance.